Triple H costs Seth Rollins - despite not appearing in person
Tuesday 24 January 2017 10:20, UK
Seth Rollins is out of the Royal Rumble Match - after a burst of Triple H's music caused him to lose to Sami Zayn.
Rollins went one-on-one with Zayn on Monday Night Raw knowing that if he was beaten Zayn would take his place in Sunday's 30-man bout in San Antonio, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
The Architect - who lasted over 48 minutes in his only previous Rumble appearance, in 2014 - was poised for victory when he nailed Zayn with a superkick and a Pedigree.
However, Triple H's entrance theme then rang out and a distracted Rollins was caught in a roll-up pin by Zayn, who will now compete in his second Royal Rumble Match.
Rollins - whose relationship with former mentor Triple H was severed in August when The Game cost him the Universal Title - is out of the Rumble, but Big Show is in.
The World's Largest Athlete - who recently posted a picture of his six pack on Twitter - revealed his involvement by staring down Braun Strowman after The Monster Among Men had secured victory for himself, Jinder Mahal, Rusev and Titus O'Neil over The New Day, Enzo Amore, and Big Cass.
Rusev and Big Cass will also compete in the Rumble - alongside the likes of The Undertaker, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar - leaving nine of the 30 spots currently unfilled.
Elsewhere on Raw, Roman Reigns attacked Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho after the former's interference prevented him from regaining the United States Championship from Jericho.
Reigns locked Owens in the shark cage Jericho will be placed in during Reigns and Owens' Universal Title Match at the Royal Rumble, before cracking Jericho with a Superman punch off the cage and a spear.
Luke Gallows pinned Cesaro, six nights before he and Karl Anderson challenge the Swiss and Sheamus for the Raw Tag Team Titles on the Royal Rumble Kick-Off Show in a match which will feature two referees.
Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann, meanwhile, performed a suicide dive on Royal Rumble rival Neville after downing Scotland's Noam Dar in a non-title match with a spin kick.
Plus, TJ Perkins, Jack Gallagher and Mustafa Ali beat Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak in a high-octane six-man tag tussle - Ali's inverted 450 splash on Gulak sealing the win.
Finally, Sasha Banks outfoxed Nia Jax - The Boss feigning injury before hitting the powerhouse with a crutch and clobbering her with a double knee strike.
Missed WWE Raw? Catch the repeat showing at 10pm, Wednesday, Sky Sports 5.
