How Nia Jax Found Out She Was Going To Be In The Men's Royal Rumble

Nia Jax has looked back on her involvement in the 2019 Men’s Royal Rumble, where the WWE star had a very memorable moment.

Unlike previous years, the number 30 spot in the 2019 Men’s Royal Rumble was awarded to R-Truth, as he and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge Tournament earlier that year. However, when it was time for Truth to make his entrance, the veteran was attacked by Nia Jax, who made her way to the ring.

Recognised as an official entrant in the match, Jax remains the only star to enter the Men’s and Women’s Rumble in the same night. After Jax attacked Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton, the former Women’s Champion was then hit with a uperkick from Dolph Ziggler, a 619 from Rey Mysterio, and finally an RKO from Randy Orton, the latter of which received a huge ovation from the fans.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet about the moment, Jax admitted that she found out on very short notice, and was given no time to rehearse it in the ring:

“So we had rehearsals that day, the Women’s Rumble, because it was me, Becky and Charlotte at the end of that one. So the doors were opening, and we were in Arizona, I believe. I was walking back, and Johnny Ace was like, ‘Hey kid, you got to rehearse more.’ I said, ‘Oh, what are we doing?’ He was like, ‘You’re in the Men’s Rumble.’ I said, ‘What?! Doors are open Johnny. When am I going to rehearse?’ [He said] ‘Oh, we’re just gonna rehearse this part with Truth, and then you go do the Women’s Rumble, and then we’ll talk about the guys after.’ I thought he was kidding. But then when we rehearsed it with Truth, me beating up Truth and everything, entering at number 30, I was like, this is happening. So then I had to focus on the Women’s Rumble, because I had stuff to do with Lana in that match, and then Becky and Charlotte, and then run back. I had to go into a room with a bunch of the guys, and they’re going over stuff, and they’re like, ‘Hey guys, Nia’s in the Rumble. So run through with what you’re gonna do with her.’ I was like, I don’t get to go into a ring?”

“You Turn Left, The Rest I’ll Handle”: Randy Orton’s RKO Advice For Nia Jax At Royal Rumble

When asked about her spots in the match, Jax recalled what happened in the Rumble and how she was terrified of messing up the RKO. However, Orton promised Jax that she would be ok, as all she had to do was turn left:

“Yeah, it was Andrade. It was Ali, Randy, Rey and Dolph. So they were in at the time, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, now you’re gonna come in, you’re gonna drop Truth, and then when you slide in, you’re gonna start cleaning house and then you’re going to eliminate Ali, and then there’s going to be a spot with Andrade and Dolph and Rey, and then you’re RKO’d.’ And I was like, ‘I’m going to get what?’ They’re like, yeah, you’re going to take an RKO. Before that, it was like, ‘Yeah, you’re going to go to tackle Randy, and then this happens.’ I was like, Okay. So I was just sitting there going but what if I f*ck up the RKO? That’s one of the most iconic moves in WWE history. Everybody already hated me. So then I look at Randy, and Randy’s super cool. But you know, Randy has a reputation of being like, you know. I was like, Oh, f*ck. I’m like, Randy. He’s like, Yeah? I’m like, ‘I’m nervous. I don’t want to fuck up your RKO.’ And he was like, ‘Don’t worry about it kid. Just when you turn left, I’ll take you. You just turn to the left, and the rest I’ll handle.’ I was like, okay. So out of that whole match, that was the most nervous. I was like, f*ck. I just can’t f*ck up the RKO. We get into it. I beat up Truth, poor Truth, and beat the sh*t out of Truth. Go in there and run the spots. Go to tackle Randy. He takes a bump for me, and I was like, f*ck, did I just hit him too hard? In my mind, I’m thinking sh*t, did I just hit Randy too hard? Meanwhile, I hear Kim cussing me out. She’s yelling at me. I’m like, oh sh*t. And then whatever we run through, do the RKO, I take the 619, the RKO. I’m like, Holy sh*t, this is not happening.”

Reflecting on the moment, Jax noted that it was an unforgettable experience as the men did not have to sell for her in the match:

“Then they dump me, then they drop kick me off the apron. When you’re in the moment, you don’t realize that. When I was done, I was like, that was a massive moment for me that those guys didn’t have to. They could have said no, that they just did for me.”

Jax was also asked if that was set to lead to more intergender stuff, to which the SmackDown star noted that there was something set up between her and former WWE star Dean Ambrose [Jon Moxley in AEW], but this was nixed:

“So at the time, we did have something. I think I went to a storyline with Dean Ambrose right after, where I hit him, or I bumped him the ground or whatever. I think there was supposed to be something that went to into a storyline there, but it just kind of fell off. There was a promotion that we were promoted to have a match at a live event. I think in that state, it couldn’t be inter gender matches. So then they had to scrap it. Then after that, I think they just kind of let that story fade away.”