Royal Rumble (2012): Difference between revisions

|caption = Promotional poster featuring [[Santino Marella]].

|attendance = 18,121<ref>{{Citecite web|url=httphttps://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-news/30094-recent-wwe-attendance-figures-1-28-to-1-31|title=Recent WWE attendance figures (1/28 to 1/31) -|work=WrestleView|last=Martin|first=Adam|date=February 1, 2012|access-date=June 10, 2013|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221093532/https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-news/30094-recent-wwe-attendance-figures-1-28-to-1-31/|url-status=live}}</ref>

|buyrate = 443,000<ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://pwinsider.com/article/68124/wwe-releases-2012-first-quarter-earnings-report-live-event-merchandise-and-dot-com-revenues-up-but-film-division-takes-a-huge-plunge.html?p=1|title=WWE Releases 2012 First Quarter Earnings Report |last=Johnson|first=Mike|date=May 3, 2012|work=PWInsider|access-date=May 5, 2012|publisherarchive-date=PwinsiderMay 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515061733/https://pwinsider.com/article/68124/wwe-releases-2012-first-quarter-earnings-report-live-event-merchandise-and-dot-com-revenues-up-but-film-division-takes-a-huge-plunge.html?p=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=WWEQ1>{{cite press release|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/documents/PressReleaseQ120125.03.12_13clean.pdf|title=WWE Reports 2012 First Quarter Results|work=[[WWE]]|date=May 3, 2012|access-date=May 514, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810054206/https://corporate.wwe.com/documents/PressReleaseQ120125.03.12_13clean.pdf|archive-date=August 10, 2012}}</ref>

The 2012 '''Royal Rumble''' was the 25th annual [[Royal Rumble]] [[professional wrestling]] [[pay-per-view]] (PPV) [[List of WWE pay-per-view events|event]] produced by [[WWE]]. It took place on January 29, 2012, at the [[Scottrade Center]] in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]]. As has been customary since 1993, the [[Royal Rumble match]] winner received a world championship match at that year's [[WrestleMania]]. For the 2012 event, the winner received their choice to challenge for either the [[WWE Championship]] or [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] at [[WrestleMania XXVIII]]. It was the first Royal Rumble held since the end of the first [[WWE brand extension|brand extension]] in August 2011.

The event received 443,000 pay-per-view buys, slightly down from 446,000 buys the [[Royal Rumble (2011)|previous year's event]] had received.

The [[Royal Rumble]] is an annual [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]] [[pay-per-view]] (PPV), produced every January by [[WWE]] since 1988—in April 2011, the promotion ceased going by its full name of World Wrestling Entertainment, with "WWE" becoming an [[orphaned initialism]].<ref>{{cite press release |last1=Sacco |first1=Justine |last2=Weitz |first2=Michael |date=April 7, 2011 |title=The New WWE |url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2011/04-07-2011 |location=[[Connecticut]] |publisher=[[WWE]] |access-date=November 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503100415/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2011/04-07-2011|archive-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with [[WrestleMania]], [[SummerSlam]], and [[Survivor Series]], dubbed the "Big Four".<ref>Ian Hamilton. ''Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition'' (p. 160)</ref> It is named after the [[Royal Rumble match]], a modified [[Battle royal (professional wrestling)|battle royal]] in which the participants enter at timed intervals instead of all beginning in the ring at the same time. The 2012 event was the 25th event in the Royal Rumble chronology and was scheduled to be held on January 29, 2012, at the [[Scottrade Center]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. Tickets went on sale on December 10 through [[Ticketmaster]].<ref name="rumble2012">{{cite web|url=httphttps://wwelivetour.com/events/wwe-presents-royal-rumble|title=WWE presents Royal Rumble, 01-29-2012|date=December 11, 2011-12-11|access-date=2011-12-December 11, 2011|publisher=[[WWE]]|archive-date=January 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127213440/https://www.wwelivetour.com/events/wwe-presents-royal-rumble|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="rumble2012scottrade">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.scottradecenter.com/STC-events/wwerumble12.html|title=Scottrade Center Events: WWE Royal Rumble|date=2011-12-December 11, 2011|access-date=2011-12-December 11, 2011|publisher=[[Scottrade Center]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202014032/httphttps://scottradecenter.com/STC-events/wwerumble12.html|archive-date=December 2, 2011-12-02}}</ref> It was the first Royal Rumble held since the end of the first [[WWE brand extension|brand split]] in August 2011.<ref name="EndSplit">{{cite web|last=Nemer|first=Paul|title=Raw Results – 8/29/11|url=httphttps://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-wrestling-results/wwe-raw-results/26309-raw-results-8-29-11/|work=WrestleviewWrestleView|date=August 30, 2011|access-date=November 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106122439/https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-wrestling-results/wwe-raw-results/26309-raw-results-8-29-11/|archive-date=November 6, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Royal Rumble match generally features 30 wrestlers. The [[Royal Rumble (2011)|2011 event]] broke tradition and had 40 participants, but 2012 returned to 30. The winner of the match traditionally earns a [[Professional wrestling championship#World championships|world championship]] match at that year's WrestleMania.<ref name=wwematch>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble|title=Specialty Matches: Royal Rumble|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|access-date=December 3, 2007|archive-12url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050714073539/https://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble|archive-03date=July 14, 2005}}</ref><ref name=stats>{{cite web|last=Waldman|title=Statistical survival – breaking down the Royal Rumble|url=httphttps://slam.canoe.cacom/Slam/Wrestling/2005/02/01/917194.html|url-status=dead|first=Jon|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2007-12-09|date=February 2, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019171213/https://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2005/02/01/917194.html|archive-02date=October 19, 2015}}</ref> For 2012, the winner could choose to challenge for either the [[WWE Championship]] or [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] at [[WrestleMania XXVIII]].<ref name="rumble2012"/>

The cardevent consisted ofcomprised five matches, including one on the pre-show., The matchesthat resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed [[Face (professional wrestling)|heroes]], [[Heel (professional wrestling)|villains]], or [[Glossary ofTweener (professional wrestling terms#Tweener)|less distinguishable characters]] toin scripted events that buildbuilt tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers, withwhile storylines were produced on theirWWE's weekly television shows, ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''.<ref name="HSW">{{cite web|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|url=httphttps://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|work=HowStuffWorks|date=13 January 13, 2006|publisher=[[Discovery Communications]]|access-date=March 5, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2006011505163720131129050844/httphttps://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|archive-date=JanuaryNovember 1529, 20062013}}</ref><ref name=WWEnt>{{cite web|title=Live & Televised Entertainment|url=httphttps://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|access-date=March 21, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2005021807422220090218142749/httphttps://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|archive-date=February 18, 20052009}}</ref>

A highly promoted match featured [[CM Punk]] defending his [[WWE Championship]] against [[Dolph Ziggler]]. On the December 26, 2011, episode of ''Raw'', Punk was put into a [[Professional wrestling match types#Gauntlet match|gauntlet match]] by [[Professional wrestling authority figures#Raw authorities|Interim Raw General Manager]] [[John Laurinaitis]],<ref name="raw1226">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-12-26/results|title=WWE Raw SuperShow results: Kane rises to hate|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|last=Murphy|first=Ryan|date=December 26, 2011|access-date=January 8, 2012|archive-date=September 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917064322/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-12-26/results|url-status=live}}</ref> with the stipulation that if either one of [[Jack Swagger]], Ziggler, or [[Mark Henry]] defeated Punk, they would receive a championship match against the latter the next week.<ref name="raw1226"/> Ziggler won the match after Punk was distracted by Laurinaitis [[Ejection (sports)|throwing out]] [[Vickie Guerrero]] and Swagger from ringside. The next week, during the title match, Punk was [[ProfessionalCountout (professional wrestling#Countout)|counted out]] as a result of another intervention from Laurinaitis. However, since titles cannot change hands via countout, Punk retained the championship.<ref name="raw0102">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2012-01-02/results|title=WWE Raw SuperShow results: Kane's hateful torment continues|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|date=January 2, 2012|access-date=January 8, 2012|archive-date=January 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108065712/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2012-01-02/results|url-status=live}}</ref> After the match, Laurinaitis announced that Punk would defend his championship against Ziggler in a rematch at the Royal Rumble, with himself acting as the [[Referee (professional wrestling)#Special referees|special guest referee]]. Then on the January 9, 2012, edition of Rawepisode, when Punk faced Swagger in a [[Professional wrestlingSingles match types#Variations(professional of singles matcheswrestling)|singles match]], Laurinaitis added a stipulation that if Swagger lost, he and Vickie Guerrero would be banned from ringside at the pay-per-view; Punk won the match, and thus, Guerrero and Swagger are banned from ringside during the championship match. Additionally, a week later on the January 16 episode of ''Raw'', in a segment with [[Mick Foley]], Laurinaitis revealed that he was using this opportunity to cost Punk his title for disrespecting him.

Another match heading into the Royal Rumble featured [[John Cena]] against [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]]. Upon returning to the WWE on the December 12 editionepisode of ''Raw'', after an absence of nearly four months, Kane interrupted Cena's match against [[Mark Henry]], and though it was Henry who put him out of action, he bypassed him and attacked Cena, [[Chokeslam|chokeslamming him]] before revealing his new mask. While demanding an explanation for these events the next week on ''Raw'', Cena was again attacked by Kane, who revealed in the next several weeks of his desire to have Cena "embrace the hate" (his current [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick|on-screen character]] and T-shirt promoting otherwise) within caused by the anti-Cena crowd who continued to boo him. When Cena dismissed any intentions of doing so, Kane not only continued his attacks on Cena, but began to direct his attention to his close friend [[Zack Ryder]], assaulting him as well, to the point of injuring him ([[kayfabe]]), ultimately leading to Ryder losing his [[WWE United States Championship|United States Championship]] to Jack Swagger on the January 16, 2012, episode of ''Raw'', under orders from John Laurinaitis. The same night, Laurinaitis put Cena in a one-on-one match against Kane at the Royal Rumble, in addition to booking Cena in a match against Swagger. Before the match even officially started, Cena started to attack Swagger aggressively to avenge Ryder's loss, prompting Kane to appear on the TitanTron and congratulate him to have started "embracing his hate". On the January 23 episode of ''Raw'', during a [[Professional wrestling match types#Falls Count Anywhere match|Falls Count Anywhere match]] (in which Laurinaitis had prevented Cena from interfering, on the pretext of never granting Ryder a rematch for the United States Championship if he did so), Kane chokeslammed Ryder through the entrance stage, incapacitating him. As Ryder was stretchered and taken away in an ambulance, [[Eve Torres]] (Ryder's storyline girlfriend) blamed Cena for Ryder's injuries, leading to Cena knocking the microphone out of interviewer [[Josh Mathews]]' hand in frustration, and donning a very aggressive look in response to this entire situation.<ref name="Kane and Cena">{{cite web|last=Passero|first=Mitch|date=January 29, 2012|title=John Cena vs. Kane (Double Count-out)|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/john-cena-kane|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|access-date=January 31, January2012|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023170858/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/john-cena-kane|url-status=live}}</ref>

|[[RodDrake ZapataWuertz]]

In a [[dark match]] prior to the PPV broadcast, [[Yoshi Tatsu]] defeated [[Heath Slater]].<ref name="dm"/>

The actual pay-per-view opened with a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|Triple Threat]] [[Professional wrestling match types#Cages|Steel Cage match]] with [[Bryan Danielson|Daniel Bryan]] defending his [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] against [[Mark Henry]] and [[Big Show]]. Bryan retained by escaping the cage after he fell from Big Show's grasp (Bryan was climbing out of the cage, and Show was trying to pull him back in over the top) and fell to the arena floor.<ref name="RR2012"/>

The next match was an [[Professional wrestlingEight-woman tag team match types|Eight-Diva tag team match]] with [[Alicia Fox]], [[Eve Torres]], [[Kelly Kelly]], and [[Tamina Snuka]] taking on [[The Bella Twins]] ([[Nikki Bella]] and [[Brie Bella]]) and [[The Divas of Doom]] ([[WWE Divas Champion|Divas Champion]] [[Beth Phoenix]] and [[Natalya (wrestler)Neidhart|Natalya]]). The latter team won after Phoenix tagged herself in and performed a glam slam on Kelly Kelly, scoring the pinfall.<ref name="RR2012"/>

The following match was between [[John Cena]] and [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]]. After a back and forth contest, the action would spill from the ring, and the match ended in a double count-out. After the match, Kane would continue his assault, hitting Cena with multiple chair shots before attacking an injured [[Zack Ryder]], who was watching the event from a private office. Kane dragged Ryder to the ring and performed a [[Piledriver (professional wrestling)|Tombstone Piledriver]] on him. Cena then reentered the ring and tried to retaliate, butonly for Kane [[Chokeslam|chokeslammed]]to execute a chokeslam on him.<ref name="Kane and CenaRR2012"/>

The next match was made after [[Drew McIntyre]] requested a spot in the Royal Rumble, asking ''Smackdown''SmackDown GMgeneral manager Teddy Long for an opportunity to prove himself, so he gave him a match against a mystery opponent who turned out to be [[Brodus Clay]]. Despite McIntyre starting the match well, Clay would quickly defeat him after a running splash.<ref name="RR2012"/>

The penultimate match of the card was the [[WWE Championship]] match between reigning champion [[CM Punk]] and [[Dolph Ziggler]] with Raw interim GM [[John Laurinaitis]] serving as outside enforcer. As per the match stipulations, Ziggler's tag team partner [[Jack Swagger]] and manager [[Vickie Guerrero]] were both banned from ringside. The first part of the match was a hold-for-hold encounter. Towards the latter part of the match Punk had Ziggler beaten, but the [[referee]] was knocked out and unable to make the count. Punk would execute a second GTS and both the referee and enforcer Laurinaitis counted to three and Punk retained his championship.<ref name="RR2012"/>

[[File:Sheamus 2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=|[[Sheamus]] won the 2012 [[Royal Rumble match]].]]

The main event was the annual [[Royal Rumble match]], where the winner would get a world championship match of their choice at [[WrestlemaniaWrestleMania XXVIII]]. As a result of losing a match to [[R-Truth]] on ''Raw'', [[The Miz]] entered at #1, and started the match with [[Alex Riley]]. Miz quickly eliminated Riley and was then joined by entrant #3, R-Truth, before [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Champion]] [[Cody Rhodes]] entered at #4. Miz eliminated R-Truth, who then pulled Miz under the bottom rope and layedlaid him out on the outside. [[WWE Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Mick Foley]], the first surprise entrant of the match, entered at #7 and immediately eliminated one half of the [[WWE Raw Tag Team Championship|Tag Team Champions]] [[Primo Colón|Primo]] (#6). [[Ricardo Rodriguez (wrestler)|Ricardo Rodriguez]] then entered at #8 and teamed up with Foley to eliminate [[P.J. Black|Justin Gabriel]] (#5). [[Santino Marella]] entered at #9 and eliminated Ricardo before squaring off with Foley. Marella brought out his Cobra puppet while Foley brought out Mr. Socko. The two then teamed up to eliminate entrant #10 [[Epico Colón|Epico]], the other half of the Tag Team Champions. Marella and Foley locked Cobra and Mr. Socko together, only for Rhodes to intervene and eliminate Marella. beforeFoley eliminatingapplied FoleyMr. Socko on Miz, but Rhodes then eliminated him as well. [[WWE Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who was sitting on commentary, entered at #12 as a surprise entrant and performed a diving elbowfist drop on Miz, but was quickly eliminated by Rhodes immediately afterwards.<ref name="RR2012"/>

The ring began to fill up with superstars as [[Booker T (wrestler)|Booker T]], who was also sitting on commentary, entered at #17 and Hall of Famer and [[Royal Rumble (1988)|first ever rumble]] winner [[Jim Duggan|"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan]] entered at #19, the latter of whom was quickly eliminated by Rhodes. Miz almost eliminated [[Kofi Kingston]] (#11) by causing him to almost fall off the apron. When Miz tried to flip Kingston over by his legs, Kingston instead did a handstand and walked over to the steps without his feet touching the floor, saving himself and staying in the match. Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler (#18) teamed up to eliminate Booker T and [[The Great Khali]] (#15). [[Michael Cole (wrestling)|Michael Cole]], the final member of the commentary team, entered at #20, only to be joined by entrant #21, [[Kia Stevens|Kharma]], the third female superstar to ever enter a rumbleRoyal Rumble match. Cole climbed over the top rope to avoid Kharma, only for Lawler and Booker T to pull Cole to the floor, eliminating him. Kharma then eliminated [[Sin Cara|Hunico]] (#16), but was then eliminated by Ziggler. Another surprise entrant, [[Road Dogg]], entered at #23, before [[WWE United States Championship|United States Champion]] Jack Swagger joined the match at #25. [[Wade Barrett]] (#26) eliminated Road Dogg only to be joined by [[Royal Rumble (2009)|2009 rumble]] winner [[Randy Orton]] (#28), who in turn eliminated him. [[Chris Jericho]] came out at #29, eliminating [[David Otunga]] (#27), before Big Show entered at #30. As Big Show entered, he assisted [[Sheamus]] (#22) in eliminating Swagger before hitting Swagger with a knockout punch. Big Show cleared out the ring, eliminating both Miz (who lasted over 45 minutes) and Rhodes (who lasted over 41 minutes and scored the most eliminations with six) at the same time, as well as Ziggler.<ref name="RR2012"/>

This brought the final four down to Sheamus, Orton, Jericho and Big Show. The former three teamed up on Big Show, who fought them off, executing a chokeslam on Jericho only to be hit with an RKO from Orton. Sheamus and Orton then attempted to eliminate Big Show. Big Show pushed Sheamus away but Orton tipped Big Show over the top rope to eliminate him. Immediately afterwards, Jericho quickly eliminated Orton from behind to put himself in the final two with Sheamus.<ref name="RR2012"/>

Sheamus and Jericho went back-and-forth as Sheamus countered a running bulldog from Jericho to almost eliminate him, but Jericho fought out of it and hit Sheamus with a dropkick. Sheamus hit Jericho with the Irish Curse backbreaker and set up the High Cross to try and eliminate him. Jericho slipped out and clotheslined Sheamus over the top rope, who held on, before Jericho hit another dropkick to try and eliminate Sheamus, who still managed to hold on. Sheamus fought back into the ring, hitting a flyingbattering shoulder tackleram on Jericho before attempting a Brogue Kick. Jericho countered and locked Sheamus in the Walls of Jericho. Jericho tried to clothesline Sheamus over the top rope, but Sheamus countered and flipped Jericho over the top rope onto the apron, who held on just enough to stop his feet touching the floor. The two superstars made their way onto the top turnbuckle, where both fell off but avoided elimination. Jericho caught Sheamus with a Codebreaker and attempted to tip him over the top rope, but Sheamus fought out of it and pushed Jericho away. Jericho ducked a Brogue Kick attempt from Sheamus and attempted a second Codebreaker, but Sheamus countered by catching Jericho and threw him over the top rope onto the apron. Jericho again avoided touching the floor, but as he brought himself back up, Sheamus hit him with a Brogue Kick, which knocked Jericho off the apron to finally eliminate him after a 7seven-minute clash, meaning Sheamus won the Royal Rumble match.<ref name="RR2012"/>

The event received mixed reviews. The ''[[Canadian Online Explorer]]'' gave Royalthe Rumbleevent a 6.5 out of 10, with the Royal Rumble match receiving the same rating. The World Heavyweight Championship match and the John Cena vs. Kane match were rated a 5 out of 10 and the Divas' tag-team match a 3 out of 10. The WWE Championship match received the highest rating with an 8.5 out of 10.<ref name="Canadian Online Explorer">{{cite web|last1=Plummer|first1=Dale|last2=Tylwalk|first2=Nick|date=January 30, 2012|title=The Great White takes a big bite out of the 25th Royal Rumble|url=httphttps://slamslamwrestling.canoenet/index.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReportsphp/2012/01/30/19311846.htmlthe-great-white-takes-a-big-bite-out-out-of-the-25th-royal-rumble/|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|access-date=4 February 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143716/https://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2012/01/30/19311846.html|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Pro Wrestlingwrestling results table

|resultstimes = <ref name="RR2012">{{cite web|last=Caldwell|first=James|title=Caldwell's WWE Royal Rumble report 1/29: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV - Rumble match, Punk-Ziggler, Cena-Kane, steel cage|url=httphttps://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wweppvs/article_57526.shtml|date=January 29, 2012|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=January 30, January2012|archive-date=February 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202200738/https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wweppvs/article_57526.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

|dark1note1 = yesdark

|match1 = [[Yoshi Tatsu]] defeated [[Heath Slater]] by [[pinfall]]

|stip1 = [[Singles match (professional wrestling)|Singles match]]<ref name="dm">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10023103.shtml|title=WWE News: 2012 Royal Rumble dark match result|publisherwork=Prowrestling.netPro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=29 January 29, 2012|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003457/https://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10023103.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

|time1 = 044:00

|stip2 = [[Triple threat match|Triple Threat]] [[Steel Cage match]] for the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]]<ref name="Steel Cage"/>

|time2 = 099:08

|match3 = [[Beth Phoenix]], [[Natalya Neidhart|Natalya]], and [[The Bella Twins]] ([[Brie Bella|Brie]] and [[Nikki Bella|Nikki]]) defeated [[Kelly Kelly]], [[Eve Torres]], [[Alicia Fox]], and [[Tamina Snuka]] by [[pinfall]]

|stip3 = [[TenEight-woman Tagtag Teamteam match|Eight-Diva tag team match]]<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/eight-diva-tag-team-match|title=Divas Champion Beth Phoenix, Natalya & The Bella Twins def. Eve, Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox & Tamina|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|authorfirst=Matthew |last=Artus|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220245/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/eight-diva-tag-team-match|url-status=live}}</ref>

|time3 = 055:29

|match4 = [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]] vs. [[John Cena]] ended in a double [[Professionaldouble wrestling#Countout|count-outcountout]]

|stip4 = [[Singles match (professional wrestling)|Singles match]]<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/john-cena-kane|title=John Cena vs. Kane (Double Count-Out)|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|authorlast=Mitch Passero|first=Mitch|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=October 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023170858/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/john-cena-kane|url-status=live}}</ref>

|match5 = [[Tyrus (wrestler)|Brodus Clay]] (with [[Cameron (wrestler)|Cameron]] and [[Naomi (wrestler)|Naomi]]) defeated [[Drew McIntyre]] by [[pinfall]]

|stip5 = [[Singles match (professional wrestling)|Singles match]]<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/brodus-clay-drew-mcintyre|title=Brodus Clay def. Drew McIntyre|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|authorfirst=Anthony |last=Benigno|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=November 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119061347/http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/brodus-clay-drew-mcintyre|url-status=live}}</ref>

|time5 = 011:05

|match6 = [[CM Punk]] (c) defeated [[Dolph Ziggler]] by [[pinfall]]

|stip6 = [[Singles match (professional wrestling)|Singles match]] for the [[WWE Championship]] with [[John Laurinaitis]] as [[special guest enforcer]] <br><small>Jack Swagger and Vickie Guerrero were banned from ringside.<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/cm-punk-dolph-ziggler|title=WWE Champion CM Punk def. Dolph Ziggler (John Laurinaitis as Special Guest Referee)|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|authorfirst=Kevin |last=Powers|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033132/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/cm-punk-dolph-ziggler/|url-status=live}}</ref></small>

|time6 = 14:3032

|stip7 = 30-man [[Royal Rumble match]] for a world championship match at [[WrestleMania XXVIII]]<ref name="Royal Rumble Match">{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=Ryan|date=January 29, 2012|title=Sheamus won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match|url=httphttps://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/royal-rumble-match|publisherwork=[[WWE]]|access-date=January 31, 2012|archive-date=January 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107205352/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/royal-rumble-match|url-status=live}}</ref>

|time7 = 54:5254

| {{sort|10|10}}||[[Epico Colón|Epico]]||6||Mick Foley||00:12||0

| '''{{sort|22|22}}'''||'''[[Sheamus]]'''||'''{{sort|30|—}}'''||'''{{sort|40|Winner}}'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/royal-rumble-match#Full-list-of-Rumble-participants|title=Sheamus won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match|publisher=[[WWE]]|author=Ryan Murphy|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=January 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107205352/http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/royal-rumble-match#Full-list-of-Rumble-participants|url-status=live}}</ref>||22:22||3

| {{sort|24|24}}||[[The Usos|Jey Uso]]||20||Randy Orton||07:05||0

[[Category:Events2010s in St. Louis]]