Beth Phoenix is only one of two women who has competed in the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches. In 2010, she entered the men's Royal Rumble at number six, scoring an elimination over The Great Khali before being eliminated by CM Punk.
In 2018, she competed in the inaugural women's Royal Rumble, entering at number 24.
Appearing on WWE's The Bump, Beth discussed her mindset going into the 2020 Royal Rumble.
"I got the news that they would invite me to participate in the women's Rumble six days before that," said Beth about her 2020 women's Rumble experience. "Up until that point, I thought I was going to be announcing the women's Rumble. Then I got a phone call less than a week before, 'Hey, do you want to be in it?' For the last six months, I had been juggling trying to learn how to become an announcer and preparing [Edge], who has been retired with the mindset of never stepping back into the ring, and going through this emotional journey of getting him back in the ring and putting in the work. All my energy was being poured into [Edge] and I was so nervous. Then we had the conversation 'do I say yes or do I say no?' We had the conversation of, 'this may never happen again, it could be the last time I ever lace up the boots, I have to go for it.' He was the one who said, 'You've got to go for it, you have to do this.'"
When discussing her time in the men's Rumble and how Chyna set the trend by appearing in the 1999 men's Royal Rumble, Beth said, "I looked up a lot to Chyna. She was the reason I walked into a gym and started picking up weights. The ten-year gap between when she entered the Rumble and when I did it, the fact that I had the opportunity to fill that role and walk into those steps...when my music hit and I sprint to the ring, it was likely the fastest I've ever run in my life and it was all over in a blink. I get to the back and Undertaker is standing right there and he says, 'Girl, I think you broke a 100-meter sprint record.'"
On the first women's Rumble, she said, "The experience of being in the first female Royal Rumble, it was such a feather in my cap, a little personal pat on the back. I felt like me being in the men's Rumble then contributed to the women being able to have their own Rumble."
Beth said the Rumble is her favorite match and that Edge has joked that she'll be labeled Mrs. Royal Rumble if she keeps making appearances.
Beth currently serves as the color commentator for NXT.
If you use any of the quotes above, please give a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.
