Cody Rhodes wins Men’s Royal Rumble 2024 to set up Roman Reigns match at Wrestlemania XL

Cody Rhodes has won the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble and has booked himself a title shot at Wrestlemania 40.

Rhodes overcame 29 other men to win the match and eliminated CM Punk in the final showdown. The ‘American Nightmare’ has become the first man to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles since ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin 26 years ago.

Though Rhodes could choose to face World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania, he will almost certainly elect to meet Roman Reigns in Philadelphia in a rematch for the Undisputed Universal Championship. He said as much by pointing at Reigns after the match.

Surprise entrants

There were minimal surprise entrants in the men’s Rumble match.

Andrade El Idolo made his anticipated return to WWE in the Rumble match as he entered at No.4. The ‘Idol’ – now going by just ‘Andrade’ rather than his old monicker of Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas and coming back with new music – left the company in 2021 to join AEW but had a turbulent tenure with the challenger brand.

It became increasingly clear that Andrade favoured a return to WWE thanks to his strong working relationship with Triple H as well as being married to Charlotte Flair. He was free to make the jump back after his AEW contract expired following a final defeat to Miro at Worlds End on December 31.

Andrade would go on to be eliminated by 16th entrant Bronson Reed.

There were also cameos for NXT’s Carmelo Hayes at No.5 and Bron Breakker at No.20, with the latter enjoying a great showing as he eliminated Jimmy Uso, Finn Balor and Ivar. He was eliminated by Dominik Mysterio but made sure to give fellow Judgement Day member JD McDonough a spear on the way out.

Pat McAfee returned to the commentary desk throughout the night and was entrant No.19 but opted to eliminate himself rather than face off with Omos and Breakker.

What went down

Jey Uso was the first entrant and he started the match alongside his brother Jimmy in a heated exchange to build towards their likely Wrestlemania meeting. Grayson Waller talked his way to the ring at No.3 before Andrade made his return and immediately began showing his class.

A stand-off between Santos Escobar and Andrade hinted at a potential future programme before NWO’s Carlito eliminated the former. Bobby Lashley’s stint in the match was short as Karion Kross helped get him out after he’d been eliminated by the ‘All Mighty.’ The Street Prophets and Lashley then brawled with Kross and his stablemates The Authors of Pain back up the ramp.

Jimmy Uso was a constant source of humour as he repeatedly tried to find camaraderie with anyone who attacked his brother, only to then get clobbered. He was eventually eliminated by Breakker.

CM Punk made his return to WWE TV for the first time in 10 years at No.27 and soon made short order of Mysterio. Jey Uso’s 58th minute run came to an end at Gunther’s hand.

Sami Zayn returned to action at 30 but didn’t last long. A final four of Drew McIntyre, Gunther, Rhodes and Punk was left and the quartet wrestled an entertaining four-way in its own right before the Scottish Warrior was eliminated by Punk.

Cody then dragged Gunther out of the ring to set up a remarkable stand-off with Punk. The duo wrestled a tense and dramatic final stretch with the ‘American Nightmare’ dumping Punk over the top rope for the win.