By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE wrestler Sheamus won the 2012 Royal Rumble match Sunday night in St. Louis, last eliminating Chris Jericho nearly 55 minutes into the match to earn a top title match at WrestleMania 28 on April 1.

Sheamus and Jericho battled for nearly eight minutes at the end of the Rumble after the match reached its Final Four of Sheamus, Jericho, Big Show, and hometown star Chris Jericho.

Additional surprises in the Rumble were the return of Kharma and Great Khali, nostalgia appearances by "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Road Dogg Jesse James, and Mick Foley (who was advertised in-advance), Ricardo Rodriguez returning in place of an injured Alberto Del Rio, and all three announcers in the Rumble (Jerry Lawler, Booker T, and Michael Cole).

John Cena, Kane, and Mark Henry were not in the Rumble after competing in matches earlier in the PPV. Also, the top champions, C.M. Punk and Daniel Bryan, were not in the Rumble. Dolph Ziggler, who lost the WWE Title match to Punk, competed in the Rumble, but was eliminated before the Final Four.

The Miz, who entered #1, lasted the longest at 45:40 before being eliminated by the #30 entry, Big Show. Cody Rhodes was the top eliminator, scoring or assisting on six eliminations. Show scored four eliminations immediately after entering the Rumble.

Read More: PWTorch PPV Reviews

ORDER OF ENTRY

(1) The Miz
(2) Alex Riley
(3) R-Truth
(4) Cody Rhodes
(5) Justin Gabriel
(6) Primo
(7) Mick Foley
(8) Ricardo Rodriguez
(9) Santino
(10) Epico
(11) Kofi Kingston
(12) Jerry Lawler
(13) Ezekiel Jackson
(14) Jinder Mahal
(15) Great Khali
(16) Hunico
(17) Booker T
(18) Dolph Ziggler
(19) Hacksaw Jim Duggan
(20) Michael Cole
(21) Kharma
(22) Sheamus
(23) Road Dogg Jesse James
(24) Jey Uso
(25) Jack Swagger
(26) Wade Barrett
(27) David Otunga
(28) Randy Orton
(29) Chris Jericho
(30) Big Show

ORDER OF ELIMINATION

(1) Riley at 1:15 (Miz)
(2) Truth at 7:12 (Miz)
(3) Primo at 8:34 (Foley)
(4) Gabriel at 11:26 (Foley & Ricardo)
(5) Ricardo at 12:51 (Santino)
(6) Epico at 13:36 (Foley)
(7) Santino at 14:28 (Rhodes)
(8) Foley at 14:47 (Rhodes)
(9) Lawler at 17:31 (Rhodes)
(10) Mahal at 21:40 (Khali)
(11) Jackson at 21:55 (Khali)
(12) Duggan at 28:31 (Rhodes)
(13) Khali at 28:55 (Rhodes & Ziggler)
(14) Booker at 28:55 (Rhodes & Ziggler)
(15) Cole at 31:25 (Kharma)
(16) Hunico at 31:55 (Kharma)
(17) Kharma at 32:02 (Ziggler)
(18) Kingston at 33:12 (Sheamus)
(19) Road Dogg at 39:05 (Barrett)
(20) Uso at 42:37 (Orton)
(21) Barrett at 42:45 (Orton)
(22) Otunga at 43:33 (Jericho)
(23) Swagger at 45:08 (Show)
(24) Miz at 45:40 (Show)
(25) Rhodes at 45:40 (Show)
(26) Ziggler at 45:55 (Show)
(27) Show at 47:11 (Orton)
(28) Orton at 47:16 (Jericho)
(29) Jericho at 54:54 (Sheamus)

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