Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, making her wait till the mic they started dimming the lights. You started feeling all right from Birmingham home with the teddy lungs and the room and studies more. Once you discovered or rather the lovers, Whitney Houston and Roman Reigns all of the lovers, and Mickey James and Mark j all of the lovers. It's Asa Banks, You're number day silk signing your page. Allow me to say, look, I just trying to bless sweet escape. Every one of the buzz I was kind of laxed.
I just made it up the struggle blood walking by the face because I know it's right in front of us. I ain't with the hay. You gotta focus someone's grass, Ladies and gentlemen, and steph Hardy is on the air. Had to drop a couple of bars just to make you all aware. So sit back, relax, enjoy the show. You know why go by Joe Well the wrestle.
You jeez, hey, y'all, I've made press too many buttons. Y'all. Welcome to a new episode of The Hardy Wrestling Podcast Extra with your Girl Stephanie Hardy, hosting creator of this fabulous platform, writer for Daily DDT and color commentator book Your Girl All twenty twenty five. But I am not alone on this special episode of HWP Extra. I am here with a fellow sister of mine in wrestling media.
She is the hosting creator of a Wrestling Gal please listen to that show you have not already, And she's a writer for Russell Zone and Wressell Inc. As well as Instinct Culture with Denis Salcedo. And she is just a really great friend who I have had the pleasure of watching grow over these past couple of years. It's Ella j what's up? Ella Hello?
I think we go back five years now, Steph, like I think it was. I think it was twenty twenty, So, yeah, I am. It's been a hot minute since we The last time I saw you was Survivor Series Weekend in twenty twenty three, so it's been like fourteen months. It's been a hot minute. But I'm so happy to see your beautiful face again and talk about my favorite pay per view of course, or premium live event as they call it now.
Yeah, we go way back, and I am just so happy, you know, to have met you. There are so many people I'm so thrilled to admit, and you're definitely one of them. We have Astrad in the comments on YouTube. Hey Astra, thank you so much for watching, and of course think all of you guys for watching live. If you're watching right now on any one of the platforms, and of course if you're watching on x Slash, Twitter
or anywhere else, just share, retweeting all the things. And of course you will be able to listen to this later as the audio will be posted everywhere. The Hardy Wrestling Podcast is so as Ella did just allude to, we are here to talk about the Royal Rumble, which is such a huge pay per view that is coming up, Oh my god next week. I cannot believe it. It's one of the big four pay per views that started in nineteen eighty eight, before the both of us were
both born. But either way, it's a very significant pay per view that starts the year off right in terms of WWE and the road to WrestleMania, and of course if you're new to the WWE world or the wrestling world, the Royal Rumble is this amazing match where it's a battle we're out where you have to throw a number of people off of the top rope in order to solidify yourself to win a championship opportunity at WrestleMania for
the championship of your choice. And of course it's had different iterations throughout the years and different formations in terms of people and who they chose to go after in terms of world titles. But yeah, that's a little bit of the history of it. So, Ella, you did mention that this is your favorite pay per view, So why don't you tell us a little bit about why it's your favorite and what is your favorite thing about it that just, you know, just makes you feel at home with it.
I think for firstly sentimental reasons, because so I started watching wrestling in the summer of nine, I only watched SmackDown, didn't really know that raw was a thing or like premium live events or pay per view. So the twenty ten Royal Rumble was the first pay perview ever watched, like period for wrestling, and that's when Edge came back. There is this huge surprise and like what is this match?
So it's sentimental reasons, but also like the surprises, it's so fun to fantasy book this because it's genuinely a lot of wrestling nowadays, I feel like is very predictable. The Royal Rumble is typically not like you can't predict every single layer, like who's gonna come in at what number? You could have legends, you could have NXT people, you could have Hall of Famers, you could have free agents showing up, you could have people from other promotions showing up.
It is one of the few things in wrestling that I think is truly like unpredictable. Even if the winner might seem a little bit predictable, there's so many surprises and like who's gonna come out at number one and two? Who's gonna have the most eliminations? Is our truth going to accidentally enter the women's Royal Rumble?
Again?
Is it is a woman going to enter the men's like Nya Jacks. You know, there's so many unpredictable, unexpected elements that like, how can you not love it? It's one of the few things I feel like is truly unpredictable and unexpected. And it's just so fun to like make bets who's gonna come in at number one and two? You can fantasy book all these things. So I think just the excitement of it and the unpredictability of it as well.
Yeah, absolutely, it is very exciting and over the years it's giving us such amazing moments to look back on. And it also and I feel like in more recent years, it also sort of paid a picture as to who is going to be on top as the year continues to progress, and that's something that I definitely enjoy about it as well. But also for me it's very sentimental
as well. When I saw you talking about it online, I was just like, you know, she's the perfect person to talk to you about this because for me, and I've discussed this on HWP before, the Royal Rumble is sentimental for me because on the very first episode of the Hearty Wrestling Podcast, I talked about the Royal Rumble twenty twenty and everything that happened afterwards during that whole week, which set the precedent for the formation of HWP as you know it with the news and with the recaps
and everything else. So the idea that you know, it's beginning to mean so much more even now is just very emotional for me because twenty twenty was a pretty astounding year in terms of wrestling, and then even though at that time we had no clue all the changes going to happen, but either way, it was just really amazing to see, you know, how everything played out. But
we'll talk about that later. Because you did share with me some of your favorite Royal Rumble moments, and of course, since this is HWP and I start with the women first, we have to talk about the Women's Roald Rumble of twenty eighteen because you mentioned that that was one of your favorites, and this is, of course the first women's World Rumble to ever happen in WWE history, so it means a whole lot to women's wrestling history and the fandom of it, and just to talk about some moments
from it in some highlights, Sasha Mercedes Money but known as Slasha Banks at the time was the number one entrant and number two was Becky Lynch, who we now know is the man. And it's really amazing to see these two started off, considering they had such a heated rivalry in NXT and they had a little bit of a rivalry on the main roster, but anytime these two come together, they just make magic, and I just loved
watching them in this match. So Ella is everything you want to put into this seeing as this is one of your favorites.
Yeah, this I still think is also the best women's rail rumble like ever. Still, maybe twenty twenty five will show up and show up, but to me this nothing has beaten it thus far. Sasha Banks also set the record at the time. It's since been taken over by Bailey, but fifty four minutes. I think it was she went the gauntlet, she made it to the final four. I believe she eliminated Trish stratas like that was a based off that a lot of people were wanting, so we
had that in there. We also had the moments between Nicky James and Tris Stratus, which was also so much fun. You had the return of the Bela Twins. I think this was where Nicki eliminated Bree as well, so that there was a lot of twists and turns, and we had a lot of legends in their Leada coming out at number five, the first legend to ever enter the Royal Room the Women's Rumble. Like you said, Tris Stratus and Sasha Banks, we had like Michelle McCool in there.
She eliminated five people at the time, it was the record. Yeah, Nicki and Osca. That was a great final too. A part of me was like rooting for Nicki. I'm like girl. But then also at this time, Oscar still had her on defeated streak, so it made sense why she won. But again, like just so many moments in the first one of bringing together the present and the past with legends like like Nicki at this time wasn't as active in WWE. Going to other against someone like Osca was such a great final too.
Yeah, it really was. I remember watching this. I was on my way home from work and just watching it on my phone, but just feeling all the emotions from the build up to it, and how you know, when how excited I was when Stephanie McMahon, who was on commentary for this match, made the announcement that it was happening. I just could not believe, how, you know, how much history was just in this match. It felt like a deep love letter to women's wrestling at that time, and
just the idea of Osca winning. I was just so thrilled for her because in NXC she was just the boss. Yeah, not like the Rock, but of course you know, in her way as the Empress of Tomorrow, she was it so for her to go on and win after lasting so very long against so many women who could have very well wonted, it was just insane. Then, of course you have the standoff that she had with Charlotte Flay, who was the SmackDown Women's champion at the time, and
Alexa Bliss, who was the Raw Women's champion. Then you had the debut of Miss Ronda Rowsey. Like it was just all just a huge collection of superpowers in this one night. But it was still just an amazing moment for sure.
I agree. I feel like Ron I still have a little bit of a gripe with I feel like Ronda coming like, I get it, you know, she's joining At the time, it was huge, but I feel like a little bit overshadowed Oscar's moment, Like this is a historic moment, you know, the first ever women's rumbel. Oscar's the first ever winner. Who's she gonna face Alexa or Charlotte? Three superpowers in the ring right there. I get what they
wanted to do with Ronda. You know, she was coming in like she's gonna uplift the women's division at the time. I feel like it took a little bit away from Oscar's moment, but I understand it. I feel like Ronda could have showed up maybe at the raw after or something. I feel like that maybe would have been more effective. Personally, I'm not mad at it, but I'm still a little bit like could have done it a little bit differently. But a historic first and still to me, the best women's rumble yet.
So yeah, absolutely, I definitely agree with you there looking back at it. You know, in the moment, I was excited because I knew because I had been following Ronda Rousi in her UFC career, so to see her and well to watch all her interviews where she talked about wrestling, and then boom, here she is in our world. It
was just like, uh, snap, here she is. But you know, in the moment, when you think about it, I feel that that moment did kind of overshadow Osca being the first woman to win like that deserved, you know, the praise and the adulation that it should have had, you know, and it was just really weird to see that moment sort of be overshadowed by Ronda Rousi, who was just
the baddest woman on the planet at that time. So you know, all eyes were going to be on her at that point, so yeah, that was a little bit you know, weird that maybe they should have put it somewhere else. But either way, I am very thrilled that that was one of your favorite ones, and I do, you know, agreed to a degree that it could that
it could have been one of the best ones. But of course we do have other ones to discuss, because you did say that there is another one that you loved, which was the twenty twenty.
Three I was there alive for this one.
Oh my god, you're so lucky.
Yeah, besides the botch at the end where they played Naya Jackson's music before the counter like was even done, they started playing her music at like the count of five, like you know, down ten to one.
Besides them prematurely playing her music, I must say, like the twenty twenty three Rumble, you have number one and two going the whole entire way, Osca coming. I think this was a return for Osca to her going all
the way to the final three. This was a really fun one to see live, and this was my first attending the Royal Rumble live ever, so it was a different perspective and I've gone back and watched it, I feel like it's also sentimental to me, but also like the first time, I think Ria Ripley was the first woman to go the entire way number one, you know, and then Live Morgan obviously going to all the way as well, and also like you saw the rivalries in there,
so that, Yeah, twenty twenty three is very sentimental to me as well. And then obviously you know, it's another layer in their history between Live and Ria as well.
Yeah, it's really nuts, Like when I looked up the information in terms of my research to see that these were number one and number two in twenty twenty three, only for them to go on in their history to beef with each other for the entire for the entirety almost of last year. Yeah, it was just really funny,
you know, and now it's ended. But at the same time, I just love That's just one of my favorite parts of the Rubble is that sometimes it feeds into longer storylines in terms of rivalries that could very well happen. So to see that come full circle in that way was just really interesting for me. And then you have Roxanne.
Her debut, Yeah, yeah, you have.
You know, NXT stars who make their debut on the main roster. In this match, you have Roxanne, who was NX champion in her first reign at the time, and you had Indy Hartwell do that as well. It was just like wow, like it. I love it when they incorporate people from NXC in that match. And then you had the debut of Chelsea Green her return to WWE. I was so excited for her because I just loved her,
you know, so much and still do. And then she had she broke the record for the quickest time in the match and she was eliminated in five seconds and to see her have this moment and see her be as dramatic and crying about it, which sort of fed into her Karen like behavior on Raw and to lead to where she is now as the first ever women's United States Champion. It's just so she'll always be famous because she's just so funny and she just makes the
most of her screen time. But I wanted her to go to distance because I was just like, go goo no, And then she gets eliminated and.
I'm like, no, we got to see luckily last year, I think she lasted like seventeen minutes so we got to see a lot more last year, her and Piper saving her from being eliminated last year. I hope that she's an iron woman this year. I think it like if she because you know, you don't have to be
in the ring the whole time. I could see her absolutely like pulling a Santino and like leaving the ring for a while and then people think somebody else is one, but then Chelsea comes in at the last minute then almost wins, So like I would love to see that. That's that would be a Chelsea thing to absolutely do with this year's But yeah, this was a really you know, if she wasn't going to go the distance, she is happy that, she said a record is still a record.
As she said this, I feel like was a great way to get her back and very on par for her character. But I hope she goes a distance this year.
Yeah. Ella, This actually leads me to asking a question of you do you believe that current champions should be in the row rumble? Hmmm, because I know that could be very divisive for certain fans.
Charlotte entered the twenty twenty two Women's Rumble. It's possible right now, though, I don't think so. I feel like the women's roster is so expansive, like and you have NXT people coming in, you have TNA people who could potentially coming in the rumble, So just for numbers wise, I don't think that they should be taking up like one or two spots in the rumble because the problem used to be is that we didn't have enough women so they would have to call back like Legends and stuff.
We don't have that problem anymore with them in between the main roster and NXT people, Legends potentially TNA. So no, I don't think so, because now it's a good thing to say there's a limited number of spots for the women, So I know, I don't think so unless it's like NXT, unless it's Julia. But main roster, well, okay, so do we count like because Chelsea's technically a champion right now, so is Lyra. I think it'd be fine if they were to enter, because then they can go potentially go
after a world title. But if we're talking Ria Ripley and Tiffany Stratton, the no the world champs that the winner would be going after the no, Julia, fine, you know she could. I don't think she would win, she would get a big pop. But if it's like a Chelsea or a Lyra, sure, because they could theoretically go after the world title.
Yeah, but then you also think about the fact that if Julia were to enter, you know, that would be funny. But then that would be fun in a good way. But at the same time, whoever wins the World Rumble match could very well choose to go after her, just like Charlotte did in twenty twenty when she went after Rio. Yeah. So yeah, it would just be really interesting if that happened.
But I know that I just had to ask you that because there are some I know there are some people in the wrestling fandom who feel that champions either should sit it out because they because the champions are the goal, or you have certain fans who wouldn't mind it. So I just had to ask you, Thatt, like, hmmm.
Yeah, I think Ria and Tiffany should sit out because they're like the world champions, I'm the main roster. But if it's like a Chelsea or a Lyra, no, because they can still go after a bigger prize if they theoretically win, you know.
Mm hmm.
And just to talk more about you know, the winner you had Ria, who want this one this year? In twenty twenty three, and she went on to face off against Charlarlette Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship, which then turned into the Women's World Championship that she held for a long time. And I'm very grateful and very blessed I got to witness that match at Russellmington.
I'm jealous.
That match left me breathless, Like they're so like. That match, I feel like is really what women's wrestling is all about. Because to see those women go as hard as they did, knowing for well that they probably could have been in the main event for Nfeline was just unbelievable. And to see Ria get her lick back after you know, losing the NXT Women's title to Charlotte in twenty twenty which is such an amazing journey. I loved it so And yeah, Ria just you know, was just really on fire at
this time and she still is at this point. So yeah, nothing is ever going to slow this woman down ever. She's eradicator, Mommy's back on top now. Yes, we love her so so much. So yeah, and just another moment just for me. I just had to mention Selena, yeah, being in this match dressed as Jury from Street Fighter, and she was also a commentator on the Street Fighter game as well, So this was really cool. And I'm just still holding out hope that one day, you know,
she will be a champion this year. So we're just hanging on, hanging on, hanging on. But yeah, this was a really cool moment to see her do the Jury kick onto Ziolee, even though I know that's not her name now, no disrespect, but yeah, this was really amazing. Royal Rumble, I liked it a lot. So yeah, you also mentioned that in terms of the men, that the Royal Rumble two thousand and eight was one of your favorites, and this one took place in New York City at
Madison Square Garden. And this was just a very funny poster because you have all the men fighting each other in the subway, which seems like pretty on par behavior in the subway at New York. But I know when I was there that this type of shenanigus wasn't going on. I was safe rides in the subway.
Luckily, I would not want to see a men'sroel rumble taking place in the subway. I do not want to see.
That, But wouldn't that be amazing?
Though it would it would you'd probably have some damages along the way.
Though, Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure that the Transportation Association would be like, why why are we doing this? But yeah, this is where it took place in Madison Square Garden. It was the first pay per view at the time to be broadcast in high definition. You remember w w HD. It's so crazy to think about and the men's reel rumble.
Michael Buffer was a special guest ring announcer. He is perhaps one of the greatest ring announcers of all time in the WCW days, and number one was the Undertaker and number two was Sean Michaels, which feeds into their rivalry there, I'll let you go ahead and take over for that.
Yeah, the prelude to their rivalry at the succeeding WrestleManias in two thousand and nine and twenty ten. What a hell of a number one and two. I just have to say, like, you can't get much better than that. But I feel like, honestly, the reason like this is so high up is for what was he number thirty, John Cena also number twenty nine and thirty Triple H and John Cena. That's a heck of a first two in a final two. I just have to say that
I feel like the big thing. Granted this was before I started watching wrestling, but like to come back so early from an injury, again, a lot of things are spoiled in wrestling. I don't think anybody like that was a safely guarded secret, like John coming back early from his injury and then coming in at number thirty and then he just has that iconic pose and he's like mm hmm, I'm back. And then him coming in and eventually eliminated Triple H for the win. I feel like
was a big shock. So, I mean, how can you hate the two thousand and eight Royal Rumbull like and the winner Like, I feel like it was overall top to bottom a really fun one.
Yeah. And then you had the likes of Batista Ina, who I believe made it to the final four if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, he.
Triple H in the final three ye Yeah.
And Triple H was definitely hauling all kinds of behind. Yeah. And then you had og legends in this one as well. You had Roddy Piper and Jimmy Smitha in it as well. So and you also had Big Daddy Viscera in it as well. Oh my god, yeah all of those people.
But yeah, Triple H was hauling all kinds of but he had six eliminations in this match, and I remember my dad wanting him to win this match so bad because my dad is a Triple H stand and there's any wrestler that my dad will slide for, it's Triple H, like he is gonna slide for you an all things. So he wanted him to win so bad. But then you have this famous look at a Chaz on his
face when John Cena pops up as number thirty. Then on top of that, like what, And then on top of that, you have Jr. Who was on commentary with Jerry the King Lawler, making one of the best calls of his career with John Cena's return, and I was so thrilled. So this was before just to paint the
picture for my wrestling phantom. This is before I was watching pay per views like that because here again, this was where you had to pay like a huge amount of money, you know, to get that so I didn't see this until the Raw after So watching watching John Cena come back on that Sunday and then see it
on Raw, I was so surprised. I was like, I was so excited because that injury looked like it was really rough, but you know, he came down to Birmingham, came down here, got fixed up, rehabbed, and came back and won the whole thing one the whole thing and beat brock Lesnar's time by being in the match for thirty one seconds and eliminating a lot of people in order to win this year.
So it was nuts, agreed.
Yeah, and now we fast forward to now where he's going to be in his final one.
Oh no, it's so it's so sad. Like the one thing that I wanted to do this year, I was like, I have to see John Cena, so I'll be an elimination chamber. John Cena is confirmed for there all, like like if nothing else, I just want to see John Cena one more time this year, and you're getting to do that. You'll be at the Rumble. I will get to do that a month later. So that's all I wanted this year. I just want to see Sina one more time.
Oh my god, Like seeing John Cena this year is just really like emotional because because last year I was at money in the bank when he made his announcement. So the idea. So first of all, I just want to say, please joy Canada, like Toronto is amazing. I love it. Yeah. But you know, being there when he made that announcement of him retiring, it was almost like my heart just fell on the floor.
Towel that said the last time is now? I started crying stuff. Oh so like I know, if whenever he like whenever he every time he comes out and he holds up the last time is now towel or he has the shirt on, a part of me is going to die inside.
Yeah. Oh my god, I want to die inside too, because it's just it's almost like when you grew up with a person and you watched their career grow and then you're watching it end. But the thing that I am grateful for is the fact that you know, it's not his body telling him that he has to stop immediately or anything. Yeah, it's his own terms. And I'm really grateful for that because there are so many people
who did not have it that way. Yeah, And so the idea that he's ending in on our terms and we get to enjoy him and bask in it for this entire year. It's just an amazing thing. He's you know, he's doing the Kobe Bryant thing, and I'm just really happy about that. So getting to see him at this point in time is just really great and I'm just really grateful for that. And we'll never stop seeing him
on the outside because you had the McDonald's deal. Now you got to drive through there he is on the screen.
I saw the commercial last week during Raw for the first time, like, now I want McDonald's John.
Like, yeah, it's funny. So we'll never stop having him. We'll just stop having him in this regard. But you know, we get to bask in that and it's just such a beautiful, beautiful thing. He's given us so much, so we get to give him our love and return. So I'm happy about that. So in the midst of everything, I'm going to talk about some of my favorite real
Rumble moments, and that's definitely twenty twenty. Like I mentioned before, the women's match in twenty twenty was pretty awesome because you had the main roster debut of Bianca bell Air in her beautiful black and gold gear, which I love, and her and Alexa Blizz had a moment. And then a few years later, when Bianco was Raw Women's Champion, they went on to have a match at the Royal Rumble two. So seeing her and her debut just had
me so excited. And she had a lot of eliminations that year as well, so it was just really insane for me. Then at the time, she was beefing with Ria Ripley for the NXT Women's Championship two. So this was just a fun time to be a Bianca bell Air fan. At this point, you also had Mighty Molly
come back. And let me just say, at this point in time, I did not know that Mighty Molly was a character, because the first time I saw Mollie, you know, she was Molly Holly and she was just standing on her own by herself, you know, beefing with everybody else. So seeing her as Mighty Molly was just a switch for me. So I had to go back and do my research and seeing that she did hang out with the Hurricane, who was one of my favorites back in
the day. So yeah, this was just really amazing here and watching her, you know, fight with the other women, and then you had Naomi pop up with her natural hair, which gave me life and gave every other black woman in life who stopped watching wrestling. But then they saw her pop up with this look and they were just like, hold up, let me get back into the swing of things.
It was so amazing to see that, you know. And since I've been I've had my hair natural for a number of years now, to see it, to see Naomi have her hair full out like this, it was just so beautiful and I just I felt seen and it was just very heartfelt. So it was just a very beautiful moment here. And of course she had her Kofee moment where she climbed up on the barricade and kept herself from getting eliminated, jumped right back onto the steps, you know, and even.
Nice the next thrower out.
I think, yeah, Naya Jackson knows how to hurt our feelings and shit, girl, she knows how to break our hearts and not care about it. But in the end, Charlotte wound up winning the Royal Rumble, and like I said earlier, went on to challenge Ria Ripley for the NXT Women's title. This, as Charlotte does, splits people down the middle because a lot of people were really happy about it. A lot of people weren't happy about it. They were just like, why does Charlotte have to win?
Blase blah. But I was just kind of thrilled for it because I was just like, Okay, Charlotte Flair, this is yet another accomplishment you can take off, you know. So this was really great for me. I enjoyed it. I loved watching her win on this day. I loved her gear because it reminded me of an of Washington apples. So yeah, I just loved watching her win in this regard. It was really cool. So yeah, big up to Charlotte. Do you think there's a possibility that she could win this year?
Ella?
She is my winner pick?
So yes, Oh, expound upon that, talk about more about how you feel like she could be.
So for me, there's only one. I mean, for me, there's one of three people who could win the Women's Royal Rumble this year, one of them being Charlotte. So right now, the people think that the plan is Charlotte and Tiffany EO and Rhea and then maybe something else. So if you go by that logic, you would either have EO or Charlotte win the Royal Rumble, right, and then whoever else win elimination chamber. I think that they
would want WWE. I think they would want EO in elimination chamber because she can do all the high flying spots we've seen her inside wargames. That to me, I feel like, and I love Charlotte, I'm a big fan of hers. I feel like EO is more entertaining though inside cages. So I would put EO in elimination chamber
and have her win. So then by default, I think one Charlotte not only returns at the Royal Rumble, but I think she becomes the first ever two time Women's Royal Rumble winner, punches her ticket to WrestleMania and faces Tiffany Stratton. But there is somebody who I think is a dark horse. We have not had anybody from NXT or a call up, somebody in their official call up
win the Royal Rumble. Rock san Perez is the perfect person to do that, and she has history with both the current women's champions, that being Ria Ripley and Tiffany Stratton. She's faced both of them, so I feel like that would be a dark horse winner. If you want to do something new, like a first like the first NXT call up to win the Royal Rumble, I think would be really exciting. But I think logically like Charlotte makes more sense and I would love to see. I'd rather
Seeeo win Elimination Chamber than the Royal Rumble. I'd be happy with all three though, honestly because I love them so much, but Charlotte. Charlotte is my winner pick for the Women's Real Rumble.
Yeah, that is a really solid pick because she has been gone for so long and she's someone that I hear so much. I miss her a lot too, so so her coming back in such a big way that would be a huge, huge way to come back and to stamp your name in history, like, oh, so y'all miss me here, I go boom.
One two time Women's Real Rumble winner. People are saying like Becky Lynch could also do it, but yeah, they're Alexa Bliss could be coming back, Oscar could could be coming back, but I think like you could come back. Yeah, I think right now the plans seem to be Tiffany and Charlotte though, so then by default, like Charlotte either wins Chamber or the Royal Rumble, I think EO is
more entertaining and enticing to win Chamber. Granted, though, Charlotte has not won an elimination chamber, so that would be another tick in her you know, career, so that could but I think the Queen is gonna claim the throne of the first time, first two time Women's Real Rumble winner. Personally, who you.
Got, oh Jesus, I feel like like you, I'm sort of going with Charlotte as well. But also my second choice would be Naomi simply because she's just never won one before and I just feel like, on a huge level, I feel like, outside of her being Tag Team Championship, she's just lost so much, so many opportunities at the Women's Championship. So for me, I feel like she has
the biggest chip on her shoulder in that regard. So if Naomi were to win, I would definitely love it in terms of that form of storytelling, even though I feel like they are going somewhere else which is going to be entertaining nonetheless, but I would really love it if Naomi won, but I feel like Charlotte is definitely my larger pick because because she's been gone for so long and she might want to, you know, reclaim her dominance in that way, so it would be huge. But
those are my two predictions for that. So yeah, that we are in for a time. But just to go into more of my favorite moments is definitely twenty twenty one. That is one of my favorite women's realm rumbles simply because like I keep harping on in storytelling, and this, this final three right now hit for me in a very personal manner because we keep talking about Riha and Charlotte, you know, and how they had their beef with each
other of the NXT Women's title in twenty twenty. But then Bianca was sort of the one who was thrown off to the side literally by Charlotte in the midst of that. And this had a huge part of the fandom upset because they wanted Bianca to be an NX Women's Champion because of how talented she was, because she had the charisma and all of the things that have propelled her to success now, so because we saw it, we were like, look, how come she can't beat Ria?
Why does it have to be Charlotte and all this other stuff. So to fast forward into the next year and have these three be the final three just did something for me and it just hit super super hard in terms of storytelling, and I just loved it because Yo, what do you mean? And it was just so beautiful.
And then the fact that Ria, you know, the fact that Ria and Bianca, the two Stars of the Future, eliminated a four horse woman in Charlotte, and Charlotte couldn't do anything but laugh after it was over, Like it was just so funny for me, and I was like, Okay, Ria and Bianca, let's go. So it was just really
cool for me. Then you had Naomi in it, and the moment that I love the most from this world rumble was they helped each other almost but they each other stay in the match, and in terms of unity for black women, that meant everything for me. I was just like, yes, help each other's sisters. Yes, And that just and I don't know if that was something they did on purpose or if that was just something they just thought of at the last minute, but that just
blessed my soul. And then after Beyonca one, they shared a black and white picture of each other, you know, hugging each other, because Naomi was essentially one of the inspirations for Bianca to start her wrestling career in terms of representation. So that moment, you know, just lives in my head rent free. And then you also have, you know, the legends that came back, and one of them being Victoria, who we did just see like last week. So the
idea of legends coming back always hits different. And I remember watching this with my boyfriend and his family, and I remember being the only one who knew who Victoria was in that moment because at the time they weren't watching, so they didn't know immediately who Victoria was. But I see a boom, No, that's my girl, and I was just so pumped for that. So to see her back in the thick of things, I was just like, Victoria,
give give her all the things now. But you know she's she's hopefully set to get all of her things at some point, probably this year. Hall of Fame.
You never know, fingers crossed.
Fingers cross, honey. But I wouldn't be mad if she showed up in the Royal Rumber this year either. So this was fantastic and then in this picture you see the iconic slash the inspiration. H maybe we'll see them again in the thick of things.
You never know.
But yeah, in the end, Bianca wound up winning, and she became the second ever black person to ever win a World Rumble in the first black woman to ever do that. And she would go on to make more black history by challenging Mercedes Moee for the SmackDown Women's title, and they would go on to be the first black women to ever remain event WrestleMania, and that of course means the world to me too, So that real Rumble for me just means a lot. And I was just
screaming at the television when she won. I almost lost my voice, but I didn't care. Was worth it.
That was a great one too for me personally because I got a user of one of my dream matches, being Mickey and Charlotte, and that was the closest I after they had they were chopping each other and going whoa. That was the closest I ever got to my dream match. So that is also I love that one as well.
Oh my gosh, yes, that sounds like an amazing match. I would die. I would die. So Another one of my favorites is the twenty twenty four, the one from last year, where you had a number of superstars come in. You have Katana Chance down there, Candles Ray Bailey who will go on to win, Bianca hitting her backflip right there, and then you had to debut of Jet Jet Carco, the most incredible, most beautiful, most god goddess like woman
ever pop up at the Royal Rumble. I was not expecting this at all, Like a part of me felt like maybe if she was like if she was going to debut, I thought maybe she would debut an NXC and that would have been cool. But when she popped up at the Royal Rumble, I was so excited. I was like, look at her shine.
Here's my winter pick last year for the women. She made it pretty far and she had a couple emanations she didn't win. She was my winter pick last year.
That's a really solid pick. And there's just so much here. Again, this is another Royal Rumble that just fed into my whole story thing. And then you had this moment here where you had these two staring at each other and it was just like, oh my god, are they going to fight. I was so scared. I was just like, are they going to fight each other? Are we getting
this now? And I was just so hump for this in this picture fed into one of my first articles that I wrote for Daily DDT about who Jade's first opponents could be and Bianca was the last one because I had to save the best for last and that because this as a match just just it screams WrestleMania, man,
it just does. But of course you know this, they actually wound up having a partnership, and I wasn't too angry about that either, because I mean, these are two powerful women, what do you mean Like, I was very happy to see them unite their powers and become two time you know, tag team champions, and I can't wait for Jade to come back and bless us with her
presence again. So in the midst of all of this, though, you have a lot of these women who were in the final few of this match, who are involved, who are basically involved in great stories even now and held championships. You had lived who was the last woman to come in in that match, and then she would go on to be champion. You had Tiffany Stratton who was in that match, and then she went on to become Miss Money in the Bank and went on to be champion.
And then you had Biaka and Jade who were going to be tag champions as well, but ultimately Bailey wound up winning. And this was really amazing here because three out of the four horse women have won a Roal Rumble. Now that Bailey has won one, Becky won one, and now Charlotte, now Mercedes, she has to come back MA six, Maybe twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven, you never know.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about where it is next year, let's say twenty twenty seven.
Yeah, yeah, it's interesting. Do you believe that? Do you? Cause there are a lot of fans who felt a way about World Rumbling next year being in Saudi Arabia. So do you believe that they would forego a woman's or still keep the women's World Rumble.
If they don't do it, they know that they're gonna get a riot, a justified riot. So I think they win. I think they have to. It's just obviously the women are probably the women. I feel bad for the women that are gonna be the iron woman of that match. Because they're gonna be sweating their butts off, like they're there for an hour to you know, to uh, what's the word, abide by the you know, the modesty laws. I feel bad for the Iron women of that match
because they're probably gonna be sweating their butt off. So I feel like, WWE, they have to have one or else they know they're gonna get a justified riot from us.
Yeah, I know. I feel there's a part of me that feels like they've evolved. Yeah, I feel like they've They've helped Saudi Arabia to evolve in that way because at one point when they started having Crowndule, there weren't any women's watches on there at all. And then when you think about how Mercedes and Alexa did their match in Abu Dhabi, you know, and how that set the precedent for the women's matches to come afterward to even
even happen. At this point, you know, I feel like they will have one, but I'm pretty sure that those women are going to have to They're gonna have to find a way to keep those women taken care of in the midst of it, and that's all that I
can hope for. I mean, I am happy for that audience that they get to experience that because think about it, We've had Royal Rumbo since nineteen eighty eight and they've all been in the United States, and WWE is really taking the world in their name very seriously, and you know, the entire world deserves to see you know, stuff like that live and not just you know, watch the reruns of things or be a behind on certain things like
they deserve to be, you know, in the know. So if there can have that experience, and you know, I'm all for the fans getting that experience because we're all a big family fan wise, so I just feel like, you know, if they have that experience and they have it. But you know, as long as the wrestlers are taken care of, especially the women, that's all I care about. So yeah, absolutely, So it's gonna be different for us. But at the same time, it's not all about us.
We're not the only rest that exists, so you know, the others get to have fun in network.
We get like an eleven AM or Now show airtime, so I'm not too mad about that.
Yeah, absolutely, So it's gonna be fun. I feel like it's gonna be all right. So yeah, and my last moment I believe I get to talk about is the twenty twenty Men's Royal Rumble. I love this one because Drew mcin well, actually there's I just rewatched it for the first time in a while.
The Gauntlet in the first half.
That made me upset.
You look at the return of like MVP though, which I was very happy.
We did, and he came back in his Killmonger gear and that was cool. But I will say though the first half of that match he had me very upset because I'm sitting here like, why is Brock even in this match? Because I want these people who I'm feeling like, look, if you're the champion, they're fighting, they're they're fighting for the opportunity to fight you. Yeah, like, so why are you in? Why?
What are you Because if he won them then he wouldn't have to wrestle wrestle media. Maybe I don't know.
Yeah, that was really weird. But in the midst of it all, we did have a great moment where Ricochet, who was a part of the match, who deserves a lot more credit for his part in the match, gave brock Lesner a low blow and then Drew McIntire and focused in on his Claymore kick and eliminated Brock Lesnith. So it was a little bit more of a fair fight in that regard because Brock had eliminated Koche Kingston, he eliminated Big E, he eliminated a who's who at
that point, and I was just really upset. But you know, the fact that these two wound up pulling the shock of the century, well one of the shock of the centuries in this match, which is really incredible for me, and I just feel like Ricoshet deserves a lot more credit for his part in that because a lot of people, you know, harp On Drew's Claymore, but it was Ricochet's
low blow that really, you know, solidified that. And then Drew wound up winning the Royal Rumble, which was a great odyssey for him because he was there and was the chosen one at one point, but then he got caught up and then he got let go, and then he rebuilt himself all around the world in terms of wrestling, and it came back to solidify himself as the top dog he knew he could be. So you get rid a better story than it.
And you had the return on this day, I said, clearly, experie, Oh my god, I was I screamed.
I remember watching this and screaming when he came back.
I couldn't believe it. I was in such shock. I was just in complete shock when that happened. I was like, excuse me. I was like really, and it was just so amazing, Like he was definitely my pick to win. After that point, I was like, hold on, hold on, hold the phone. That means he has to win this thing, right, but you know, and I wasn't mad about Drew winning, but when Edge popped out there, I was just like,
hold on, are you serious? Come on? And then, funny enough, Roman Reigns entered into the Royal Rumble, even after he had a match with Baron Corbin where it was falls count anywhere and they were fighting all over the baseball fee and because they were even in the dugout, and I was just like, oh my god, like this is crazy. So for him to come in that match, it was
just really insane. And then of course this set everybody on fire because everybody thought, oh my god, they're going to try the Roman Reigns thing again, and it just made everybody upset, but drew on, so everybody was chilled. And this year, I think.
This was before this year, this was the last time I think Roman was in a royal rumble too.
It was because they mentioned that, they mentioned that when he declared, when Paul declared for him, that he hasn't been in one in five years, so this was the last one he was ever in. Yeah, that is so nuts to think about, but that's what happens when you're on top for so long. You just you got to work your way back a tribal chief having to fight for an opportunity. That's nuts. That's nuts to think about.
And then another thing that's nuts to think about is that you had crash out Monday Night Messiah Seth and his disciples. Oh yeah, this was nuts, bro.
Yeah, because this was also a few months after Becky. Was this a few months after Becky gave birth too? Because no, no, no, Becky left twenty no, Becky left twenty nineteen, right.
No, I think because I was during the pandemic and this was before.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, but yeah, God, the Messiah, the Monday Night Messiah.
Mm hmmm.
Mm hmmm, what what what in the far cry oh my god, he was just he was far. But I do appreciate his dedication to this. Of course, there's a part of me that feels like we might get another iteration of this with his feud against them Punko possible. I really feel like this is going to happen and manifest itself in some way. But I don't know if it's gonna be the same way. But I feel like it just might happen and I would love it. But yeah, those are a lot of my favorite moments from the
Royal Rumble. But just to be quick, because we did talk about, you know, some of our predictions for the Women's rol On Rumble this year. What is your prediction for this stacked as heck Men's Royal Rumble? Ella, what are we gonna do?
I think so so the again, like it's just it's hard to not listen to the reports of like what the possible Mania matches are, and one of them is John Cena and Cody Rhodes, who is the undisputed WWE champion. So again, if you go to that logic, Sina would either win Rumble or Chamber. I don't think they would
put John Cena, not that he couldn't handle it. But I think John would want to be safe during his run and not risk an injury by being inside the elimination chamber, so I don't think they would put him inside the chamber. So for that reason, I have John Cena winning the Men's Royal Rumble for the third time, the second third time winner. But again, there's a lot there's a lot of big names in this. It could be CM Punk, he came in, he was the runner up last year, but I think Seth Ronalds is going
to eliminate CM Punk to get his revenge. Roman Reigns, who could eliminate him. It could be there's a lot of people who don't like Rowan Rains. He has a lot of enemies going into this, So I feel like Roman Reigns has the most to overcome, honestly because I feel like he has the most enemies. So I'm going with John Cena.
Yeah, I feel like the more I felt like last week when they made all of the announcements as to who was going to be in the Men's Yeah, I just felt my I felt my soul leave my body because because here again like this is my first time ever attending one and I just feel like I'm just gonna be overstimulated from all of them.
You have a phenomenal lineup, girl, from.
All the people who are gonna be in it, and I'm just like, it's just so hard, because what do you mean all of these people who have all of these intertwining you know, stories and all of these motivations are gonna be in the same royal rumble? Are you kidding? It's just nuts to me. I just can't even believe any of this right now. But like you, I am predicting that John Cena is going to win it all because here again he has the most to prove during his last go round, he definitely has the most to
prove here. So if he has the chance to go up against you know, Cody Rhodes, who is essentially a person who has listed John Sena as one of his motivations to be to be the top person, I would
love that. I would really love that. And then that one doesn't necessarily even have to main event of WrestleMania Night one or Night two, because because even when with the way that you mentioned Seth and cm Punk, that could still man event if you know, they wanted to do it that way, because that would fulfill CM Punk's dream that was taken away from him last year of main eventing a mania. You know, you still have that.
And then of course you have Drew, who is the wild card in there because you know, he's just crashing out and just wants to hurt everybody. I don't know, it's just a lot to think about. And then you have Roman, who is the tribal chief again but yet everybody's gunning for him. Solo is still angry, he could enter the mask like he has.
So many enemies, Like.
Oh my god, it's so much. I know, I'm so overwhelmed by it, but I'm so very excited about it. I'm just so thrilled, and I'm just and i just feel very blessed to be, you know, a part of this in in this way as a media person and just as a fan. I'm just really happy to be a part of it and to just be in the kick of things in another state that I've never been in before. I've never been to Indiana, so I'm very excited about that. You know. Yeah, it's just really enthralling stuff.
So yeah, Ella, thank you so much for coming on the hearty wrestling podcast with me and talking Royal Rumble, and of course you're welcome anytime you want to come on. So just tell everybody where they can find and follow you and what you've got going on.
You can find me, like it says down below there at it's LJ on Twitter, Instagram and Blue Sky. I am planning on going to Elimination Chamber in Toronto because it's only two hours for me. So if you're there that weekend, please say hello. And also if you're there in Indiana, say hello to Stephanie. I hope, I sincerely hope you have a great time like the Royal Rumble, like experiencing it in person, and especially like if John Cina wins, like that's gonna be a moment you will
never forget, Stephanie. So I hope you have the best time. Yeah, just just stay tuned. I'll be doing a few other shows and the lead up to the Royal Rumble because it's my favorite pay per view, so how can I not, So just follow along on social media to stay updated.
Yes, thank you so much, and of course y'all know you can follow me your girl Stephanie Hardy on Instagram and x slash Twitter at Queen step Party on TikTok where as long as we still have it, I had Stephanie underscore Hardy because this was just a nuts weekend. On YouTube at the Harty Wrestling Podcast and on Instagram at Harty Wrestling Podcast and on Twitter at Harty Wrestle Pod.
And yeah, you can listen to this episode in all episodes on audio on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you get your audio based podcast stuff. So yeah, thank you guys so much, and of course, enjoy Ron and enjoy the rest of your Martin Luther King day and until next time, bye y'all.