WWE HALL OF FAMER Edge triumphed in the Royal Rumble from No1 spot – exactly 11 years since he first won it.
The 47-year-old, who won the Rumble in 2010, ended a near-decade of retirement with his shock return at last year’s event.
And now he is heading back to the WrestleMania main event for a title shot after running the entire gauntlet at the Thunderdome.
Edge returned from months out after surgery to start the Rumble as his nemesis Randy Orton came out second.
The two battled outside the ring as Edge attacked the Viper on the ramp way before Sami Zayn and Mustafa Ali soon joined the fray as next entrants.
Jeff Hardy was out at No5, sparking an RKO spree by Orton before Edge stopped him with a spear as the two soon slipped under the bottom rope to continue battling on the outside.
The Viper received a DDT on the announce table as Edge then attacked him with a steel chair, leaving him a bloody mess, as Dolph Ziggler emerged out next and eliminated Hardy.
The 2018 Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura arrived as the seventh entrant while Orton was helped to the back by officials with a damaged knee.
The legendary Carlito then made a surprise return before The New Day’s Xavier Woods entered and instantly attacked Ali, who had injured his partner Kofi Kingston and ruled him out.
The New Day numbers swelled as Intercontinental champ Big E hit the ring with the best friends eliminating Zayn.
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John Morrison was out next, competing in his eighth Rumble match, but Ali eliminated Woods before Big E gained revenge for his pal.
Ricochet and Elias duly joined the match, with the latter throwing out Carlito, before Damien Priest and The Miz joined the action.
Miz destroyed the set of Bad Bunny, who was a musical guest at the Rumble, on his way to the ring, leading to the musician to come out to ringside.
As Miz and Morrison were distracted, Priest tossed out Elias and then threw the tag team over the top rope, leading to Bad Bunny scaling the top turnbuckle and diving on the pair.
Matt Riddle was out at 16 and then the bookies favourite Daniel Bryan came out.
Then there was another big shock as the Big Red Machine Kane hit the ring for a record 18th appearance in the Rumble, throwing out Ziggler and Ricochet.
His ex-Team Hell No partner Bryan then shared an awkward hug with the 7ft giant but soon received a chokeslam – but Kane’s stay was short lived as he was eliminated by Priest.
King Corbin threw Nakamura over soon after he emerged as the huge Otis entered as the 20th entrant, but he was quickly eliminated by Corbin.
But any hopes the King had of going to WrestleMania were ended by Dominik Mystero, the 21st man to enter.
The CEO of the Hurt Business and reigning US Title holder Bobby Lashley was next out and instantly tossed Mysterio out, and he was closely followed by Priest.
Another blast from the past soon arrived on the scene as The Hurricane entered and exited in quickfire fashion, with Big E and Lashley teaming up to send him flying over the top.
Then another shock as Edge’s old partner Christian arrived out of retirement to team with Bryan, Riddle and Big E to get Lashley out.
AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio were next out, Styles’ security guard Omus getting Big E out and then Mysterio.
Former Rumble winner Sheamus entered with Cesaro out after him as the Swiss Superman turned on his ex-Bar tag partner.
There was a welcome return for Seth Rollins at No29, fresh from the birth of his and Becky Lynch’s baby daughter last month, his first appearance since Survivor Series.
And then the Monster Among Men Braun Strowman marched to the ring as the final entry.
He destroyed everyone, throwing out Cesaro, Sheamus and AJ Styles before he received a double spear from Edge and Christian.
We were down to five men, Rollins, Edge, Christian, Strowman and Riddle – although Orton had also not been officially eliminated.
Rollins waited on the outside as the other four battled it out – but he pounced to attack Bryan from behind and then toss him out.
The Messiah then got rid of Riddle before he tried to talk Strowman into teaming up on Edge and Christian.
But the Strowman Express was having one of it, flattening everyone in the ring, but soon the giant and Christian were out before Edge got Rollins out.
He thought he had won but Orton surprised him – only for the veteran to turn the tables and throw out the Viper to book his ticket to WrestleMania.
THE RUMBLE RESULTS
Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax def. Asuka and Charlotte for the Women’s Tag Titles
Drew McIntyre def. Goldberg to retain the WWE Title
Women’s Royal Rumble winner: Bianca Belair
Sasha Banks def. Carmella to retain the SmackDown Women’s Title
Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match to retain the Universal Title
Men’s Royal Rumble winner: Edge