ATLANTA — At the 2010 Royal Rumble, 30 competitors entered the Philips Arena with the singular goal of earning the opportunity to challenge for a World Title atWrestleMania XXVI, but only one Superstar walked away with a golden ticket to The Grandest Stage of Them All.
That man’s name is Edge.
In a move that stunned the sold-out Atlanta crowd, The Rated-R Superstar made his shocking return to the ring, entering at No. 29 and going on to eliminate John Cenato win his first Rumble Match and receive the opportunity to main-event WrestleMania for a World Championship of his choosing on March 28, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona.(PHOTOS PART ONE | PART TWO)
Edge’s amazing return wasn’t the only surprising moment of this year’s Rumble, however. After CM Punkscored the first eliminations, Beth Phoenix became the second woman in WWE history to compete in the event. The Glamazon entered at No. 6 and eliminated the massive Great Khali after planting a kiss on the unsuspecting giant. (Read Beth's story)
This lip-lock would be the only moment of levity in the contest. After being attacked by United States Champion The Miz before he even got in the ring, MVP was perhaps the most aggressive Rumbler of all. The Ballin’ Superstar got his retribution against the self-proclaimed “Awesome One” by attacking him with such rage that he ended up eliminating himself. (Full list of Rumble participants)
The epic bout turned even more dramatic when Unified Tag Team Champions D-Generation X proved that the Rumble truly was every man for himself. After Triple H hit Cena with a Pedigree, HBK nailed his unsuspecting friend with Sweet Chin Music, sending him to the arena floor.
Michaels would survive to be one of the final Superstars in the Rumble along with Cena, Chris Jericho, Batistaand the surprise entrant, Edge. After The Rated-R Superstar dumped his former tag team partner, The Animal eliminated Michaels, crushing HBK’s dream of a rematch against Undertaker at WrestleMania.
With three former World Champions left in the ring, the intensity was palpable. Beaten and bruised, the warriors fought with everything they had until Cena tossed Batista to the outside.
Then, with the perfect opening in front of him, The Ultimate Opportunist eliminated Cena and earned his spot in the main event at WrestleMania.
The former nine-time World Champion will now walk a long road to Phoenix, Arizona. What will be there waiting for him remains to be seen. With less than two months to go before WrestleMania XXVI, anything can happen, but, for now, Edge is “The One.”
