Edge has won his second men's rumble match 11 years on from his first win. Photo Credit: WWE via Flickr

Bianca Belair set a new record for longest women’s rumble performance as Edge picks up his second win, just one year after his historic return.

Both the men’s and women’s side featured impressive performances that saw both winners last nearly a full hour before securing their world title shot at WrestleMania.

On the women’s side, Bianca Belair outlasted 29 other women, last eliminating Rhea Ripley and setting a new women’s rumble record in the process at 56.49. The men’s side was won by a Hall of Famer Edge who last eliminated Randy Orton to secure a second rumble win, and a spot at WrestleMania.

The two titular matches did not disappoint, but there was plenty of entertainment to be had throughout the card.

WWE Championship

Goldberg vs Drew Mcintyre (C)

A blockbuster match on paper to open. A cheap shot headbutt before the bell from McIntyre was followed up by a nice back and forth exchange, with the veteran Goldberg getting the upper hand early on, sending the Scottish psychopath through the barricade.

The match was your typical post-retirement Goldberg affair, with the two exchanging finishers and plenty of near falls in an action packed 5-minutes. Other than a slightly mistimed spear, it was a mostly solid match to open the show, with both powerhouses getting their opportunity to look good.

A fourth spear attempt from the attitude era veteran was met with a claymore kick from the champion to retain.

Result: Drew Mcintyre

Smackdown Women’s Championship

Carmella vs Sasha Banks (C)

A steady back and forth affair that is not too dissimilar to what you’ve seen plenty of on your routine smackdown. A quick exchange of submissions followed up by some outside interference on Carmella’s behalf led to the challenger getting the upper hand early on.

Some creative offence from Carmella, tying the boss’s hair to the ring ropes was the highlight of the match. A reversal by Sasha banks into the banks statement was enough to seal the Win for the champion.

Result: Sasha Banks

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Bayley and a returning Naomi started as No. 1 and 2, respectively. There were no eliminations before Bayley had to deal with her rival in No. 3 entrant Bianca Belair. Australian superstar Billie Kay found herself in the role of chief banter merchant for the match, choosing to settle in at the announce table and find a partner than enter the ring.

Contestants continued to pile up as no eliminations were scored until Shayna Baszler dumped out our first NXT entrant of the night, Shotzi Blackheart, to score the first elimination. Former superstar Jillian Hall was the first surprise entrant of the night, forming an alliance with Kay to form “Billie and Jilly.” Veteran of the ring Victoria also made her return, entering the match at No. 10.

Participants continued to pile up in the ring with eliminations hard to come by before Hall was finally the second woman out, followed by Kay and the match settled into a more familiar rhythm after Rhea Ripley entered the match began to clear the ring.

A surprise as Ric Flair’s music hit who escorts Lacey Evans to the ring. Charlotte and Evans battled immediately before an angry Flair turned her attention back to the rest of the participants. Mickie James also made her return, coming in at No. 19. Another return came at No. 21 with Alicia Fox.

Ripley continued to impress, scoring the most eliminations of the evening at 7 eliminations. In her scheduled near-elimination spot, Naomi was thrown from the ring but landed on her back with her feet in the air, using the hair of Belair to climb her way back into the ring.

Alexa Bliss entered at No. 27 before being unceremoniously dumped over the top by Ripley whilst she was in Supernatural character power-up mode.

Powerhouse of the women’s division Nia Jax entered next, teaming up with tag partner Baszler, who went on a run of eliminations to thin the field late before brawling with each other. Jax eventually eliminated Baszler, who herself was helped over the top by Lana before Natalya entered in the No. 30 spot to complete the field.

The final four in the match came down to Natalya, Belair, Flair and Ripley. Belair eliminated Natalya first and then Ripley and Belair teamed up to knock Flair from the match, leaving Ripley and Belair as the final two women in the match. The two engaged in an extended 1 on 1 segment, with several near eliminations before Belair managed to knock Ripley from the ring with a clothesline to win the match.

Result: Bianca Belair (56.49), last eliminating Rhea Ripley

Last man Standing match for the Universal Championship

Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns (C)

An action packed, bloody entry into the Reigns-Owens trilogy did not disappoint. The two burst out of the gates, with the exchanging finishers and landing major early offensive blows. The penultimate match ventured to the crowd, up the stands, around the backstage and even through the LED.

The two spared no time making their way outside of the ring, as reigns uses the steal steps to gain an early advantage. Owens hits the big dogs head off the monitors to gain the upper hand as the fight makes its way up the crowd. The two exchange chair shots with Owens getting the better of reigns as he works the leg.

In an easy contender for spot of the night, Owens is sent flying off platform through the table below for our first close count of the evening.

We get another near count in an easy contender for moment of the night, as the challenger is blindsided by a grand-theft-golf kart assault.

A much needed burst of energy is injected into the match as the two begin to exchange blows, leaving Roman with a busted lip. The backstage brawl peaked at Owens launching a senton from a forklift, through reigns and the backstage announce table.

The action heads back to the main area, with the two battling it out atop the stage. A Reigns spear through the LED’s on the gorilla position was not enough to down the challenger who managed to reverse a Reigns ploy and handcuff the champ to the scaffolding.

A Low blow from reigns takes Owens down, whilst confidant Paul Heyman sets him free. A surprise guillotine chokehold from reigns was enough to put Owens out for the 10 count.

Result: Roman Reigns

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

Company veteran Edge and Randy Orton enter the match at No1 and No2 respectively. The bitter rivals began to brawl around ringside until Sami Zayn entered at No. 3 and Mustafa Ali at No. 4, to form a short lived heel alliance until Jeff Hardy entered at No5 to even the odds.

The first elimination came when Dolph Ziggler entered the match and immediately eliminated Jeff Hardy. Carlito was the first surprise entrant, coming into the match, but thankfully does not spit apple in these Covid-times.

Orton was shown being helped to the back by officials with a limp after a brutal chair onslaught from Edge. Damien Priest was the first NXT star to make his rumble debut, coming in at No. 14.

Fan and bookies favourite Daniel Bryan made his entrance at No17, followed up by a short-lived reunion with Kane at No18.

Bobby Lashley made an energetic entrance, running through Dominik Mysterio and Priest, eliminating both. A big showdown with Big E followed as both men brawl and exchange counters before the surprise entrant The Hurricane disrupts things, before he was tossed out by the two.

With Edge still in the match, Christian entered the match at No. 24. Christian helped Riddle, Bryan and Big E eliminate Lashley. Big E was eliminated from the match when Omos reached into the ring and pulled him to the floor. Omos also eliminated Rey Mysterio, giving some big help to AJ Styles.

Top-heel Seth Rollins made his return at No. 29, in his first match since Survivor Series. Braun Strowman completed the set at 30 going on a run of eliminations, bringing the final six to Rollins, Riddle, Edge, Christian, Bryan and Strowman. Orton at this point had not actually been eliminated when he was taken to the back.

Rollins eliminated Bryan and Riddle after hiding out on the outside of the ring to cut the field down to Strowman, Rollins, Edge and Christian. Edge and Christian worked together to eliminate Strowman, with Rollin’s blindsiding the two, eliminating Strowman and Christian in the process.

Edge eliminated Rollins to seemingly winning the match, but Orton ran back into the match and hit an RKO. Orton’s attempt to eliminate Edge backfired, however, as Edge reversed and tossed Orton to the floor, winning the Rumble from the No. 1 spot, lasting more than 58 minutes to pick up his second rumble match victory.

Result: Edge (58.28), last eliminating Randy Orton