As of the 2013 Royal Rumble Most Victories Wrestler Royal Rumble Wins Year Steve Austin 3 1997, 1998, 2001 Hulk Hogan 2 1990, 1991 Shawn Michaels 1995, 1996 John Cena 2008, 2013 Longest Time (Single Rumble) (Note: Bold indicates winner)
Wrestler Time Year Rey Mysterio 1:02:12 2006 Chris Benoit 1:01:30 2004 Bob Backlund 1:01:10 1993 Triple H 1:00:09 2006 Ric Flair 59:36 1992 Steve Austin 56:38 1999 Vince McMahon 56:38 1999 Kane 54:49 2001 Rick Martel 52:17 1991 The Rock 51:32 1998 Dolph Ziggler 49:47 2013 Randy Orton 48:27 2009 Chris Jericho 47:53 2013 The Miz 45:39 2012 Ted DiBiase Jr. 45:11 2009 Ted DiBiase Sr. 44:47 1990 Greg Valentine 44:03 1991 Edge 44:02 2007 Cody Rhodes 41:55 2012 ^ Large portion of this time was spent out of the ring; wrestlers were not eliminated as they didn't go over top rope.
Total Time (All Rumbles) Minimum 3 hours Wrestler Time Triple H 3:51:32 Shawn Michaels 3:42:30 Rey Mysterio 3:16:29 Chris Jericho 3:05:09 Shortest Time (Single Rumble) Wrestler Time Year Santino Marella 0:00:01 2009 The Warlord 0:00:02 1989 Mo 0:00:03 1995 Owen Hart 0:00:03 1995 Bushwhacker Luke 0:00:04 1991 Jerry Lawler 0:00:04 1997 The Godfather 0:00:05 2013 Gillberg 0:00:07 1999 The Miz 0:00:07 2007 M.V.P. 0:00:07 2010 Tazz 0:00:10 2001 Epico 0:00:11 2012 Shawn Michaels 0:00:12 1990 Bushwhacker Luke0:00:12 1995 Tom Brandi 0:00:12 1998 Billy Gunn 0:00:13 1994 Sandman 0:00:13 2007 The Godfather 0:00:14 2001 Brian Kendrick 0:00:15 2009 Golga 0:00:15 1999
Most Eliminations (Single Rumble) Wrestler # of Eliminations Year Kane 11 2001 Hulk Hogan 10 1989 Steve Austin 10 1997 Shawn Michaels 8 1996 Steve Austin 8 1999 Hulk Hogan 7 1991 Yokozuna 7 1993 Diesel 7 1994 Steve Austin 7 1998 Rikishi 7 2000 Steve Austin 7 2002 The Undertaker 7 2002 The Great Khali 7 2007 CM Punk 7 2011 John Cena 7 2011 Chris Jericho 6 2003 Cody Rhodes 6 2012
Most Eliminations (All Rumbles) Wrestler # of Eliminations Rumbles Entered Shawn Michaels 40 12 Kane 38 16 Steve Austin 36 6 The Undertaker 35 10 Triple H 28 8 Hulk Hogan 27 4 Big Show 25 8 John Cena 22 7 Randy Orton 19 7 Edge 17 6 Chris Jericho 15 7 CM Punk 15 5 Chris Benoit 14 4 Batista 13 4 Cody Rhodes 12 5 Rey Mysterio 11 6 ^ Totals include Kane's previous personas as Isaac Yankem and Diesel.
Most Appearances Minimum 6 appearances Wrestler Rumbles Entered First Rumble Most Recent Rumble Kane 16 1996 2013 Shawn Michaels 12 1989 2010 The Undertaker 10 1991 2009 Rikishi 1993 2004 The Big Show 9 2000 2013 Big Daddy V 9 1994 2008 The Godfather 8 1993 2013 Triple H 1996 2010 Goldust 1997 2013 Chris Jericho 2000 2013 Booker T 2002 2012 Shelton Benjamin 2003 2010 Jake Roberts 7 1988 1997 Rick Martel 1989 1995 Owen Hart 1993 1999 Billy Gunn 1994 2004 Bob Holly 1994 2008 Mark Henry 1998 2011 Matt Hardy 2001 2010 John Cena 2003 2013 Randy Orton 2004 2013 The Great Khali 2007 2013 Rey Mysterio 6 2003 2013 The Miz 2007 2013 Steve Austin 1996 2002 Edge 1999 2010 ^ Totals include Kane's previous personas as Isaac Yankem and Diesel.
Diva Entrants[edit] Diva Rumbles Entered Eliminations Eliminated by Chyna 2 (1999, 2000) Mark Henry (1999), Chris Jericho (2000) Stone Cold Steven Austin (1999), Big Boss Man (2000) Beth Phoenix 1 (2010) The Great Khali CM Punk Kharma 1 (2012) Hunico Dolph Ziggler
Winners By Entry Number Entry # # of Winners Wrestler (Year) 27 4 Big John Studd (1989) Yokozuna (1993) Bret Hart (1994) Steve Austin (2001) 1/2 4 Shawn Michaels (#1-1995) Chris Benoit (#1-2004) Vince McMahon (#2-1999) Rey Mysterio (#2-2006) 24 3 Hulk Hogan (1991) Steve Austin (1998) The Rock (2000) 22 2 Triple H (2002) Sheamus (2012) 29 2 Brock Lesnar (2003) Edge (2010) 30 2 Undertaker (2007) John Cena (2008) Note #1: Since Entries #1 & #2 enter at the same time and neither position has an advantage over the other, they are considered the same entry for comparison purposes.
55 Facts of the Royal RUmble History
Rumble Fact #1: Maximum Effort, Minimum Impact
Prince Albert, Albert, A-Train, Tensai, the Hip Hop Hippo or whatever you want to call him, holds the record for appearing in the most Royal Rumbles without eliminating another contestant with 6 career appearances.
Rumble Fact #2: Elimination Kid
Good ol’ HBK, oh how we miss him. He’s happy in retirement now, so good for him, he deserves it. And he can rest in the knowledge that he holds the record for eliminating the most Royal Rumble contestants over a single career, with 40 in 12 appearances. Shawn overtook Stone Cold Steve Austin, the previous record holder with 36, in his final Rumble match in 2010 by eliminating John Morrison to reach 37. His final elimination, ironically, was his long time friend Triple H, who he hit with Sweet Chin Music, knocking him over the top rope.
Rumble Fact #3: Girl Power
Whenever a female contestant has entered the Royal Rumble, Chyna in 1999 & 2000, Beth Phoenix in 2010 & Kharma in 2012, they have never failed to eliminate another superstar. There are four men who felt the wrath of a woman - Mark Henry and Chris Jericho who were victims of Chyna, The Great Khali who was eliminated by Phoenix & Hunico who was thrown out by Kharma. The distinction of eliminating a woman belongs to four men, being Stone Cold Steve Austin, Big Bossman, CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler.
Rumble Fact #4: Championship Presence
The first person to ever enter the Royal Rumble as a reigning champion was in fact the second man to enter the first ever Royal Rumble match in 1988, Tito Santana. He was one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions with Rick Martel, who were collectively known as Strike Force. Santana was then eliminated by both members of The Hart Foundation, becoming the first man to be eliminated by a double team effort.
Rumble Fact #5: On & On It Goes
The 2011 Royal Rumble had the most participants than any other Rumble, and as a result was the longest Royal Rumble match in history, beginning with CM Punk at #1 and ending with Kane at #40, and lasting a total time of 1:09:53.
Rumble Fact #6: The Youngest Ever Winner
The youngest person to ever win the Royal Rumble was Brock Lesnar, who won in 2003, entering at #29, aged 25 years, 6 months and 7 days.
Rumble Fact #7: Hellish Coincidence
Of the 25 different people to have participated in a Hell in a Cell match just under half (13 in total) have also won a Royal Rumble. They are: Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Batista, Randy Orton, Vince McMahon, Edge, John Cena, Alberto Del Rio & Sheamus.
Rumble Fact #8: #1, meet #30
Over the history of the Royal Rumble match, 7 men have been the first man in the ring and survived until the #30 entrant entered the match. They are: Shawn Michaels (1995), Stone Cold Steve Austin (1999), Chris Benoit (2004), Triple H (2006), Rey Mysterio (2009), The Miz (2012) & Dolph Ziggler (2013). Only Stone Cold has been the #1 entrant and eliminated the 30th, when he clotheslined Chyna over the top, whilst on the other hand, Rey Mysterio & The Miz are the only #1 entrants to have been eliminated by the 30th, both of whom fell victim to the Big Show.
Rumble Fact #9: Cue the Fanfare
The 1996 Royal Rumble was the first to play the entrance music of every contestant as they entered the match, whereas before only the music of the #1 & #2 entrants was played. The man with the first privilege was the #3 entrant Bob Backlund.
Rumble Fact #10: End of Extreme
Yoshi Tatsu was the last ever Royal Rumble participant to represent ECW when he entered the 2010 Royal Rumble at #21 – and much like almost every ECW ‘extremist’ before him, he didn’t last very long in the match, being eliminated after 29 seconds by John Cena.
Rumble Fact #11: Kane’s Going Crazy Here!
In 2001, Kane became the Royal Rumble contestant to have performed the most eliminations in a single match when he eliminated 11 other superstars – over a third of the entire field. Those that tasted Kane’s wrath were: Grand Master Sexay, Steve Blackman, Al Snow, Raven, Perry Saturn, The Honky Tonk Man, Tazz, Crash Holly, Albert, Scotty 2 Hotty and The Rock – including every entrant between the numbers 7 & 13, and six eliminations in a row within a matter of minutes.
Rumble Fact #12: Hanging on in There
The 2009 Royal Rumble saw the most contestants survive the entire entry process than any other Royal Rumble; when 15 superstars were still in the match when the #30 entrant arrived. They were: Rey Mysterio (#1), Triple H (#7), Randy Orton (#8), Ted DiBiase (#10), Chris Jericho (#11), Mike Knox (#12), Finlay (#14), Cody Rhodes (#15), Undertaker (#16), CM Punk (#18), Kane (#23), R-Truth (#25), Rob Van Dam (#26), Hacksaw Jim Duggan (#29) & Big Show (#30).
Rumble Fact #13: Serial Survivors
Since 1987, 14 superstars have both survived a traditional Survivor Series and won a Royal Rumble match in their careers. They are: Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Bret Hart, Lex Luger, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Chris Benoit, John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H, Rey Mysterio & Sheamus. 8 superstars have also survived a Survivor Series match and then won the Royal Rumble in the following January, and they are: Hulk Hogan (1989 & 1990), Ric Flair (1991), Bret Hart (1993), Lex Luger (1993), Shawn Michaels (1995), Chris Benoit (2003), Randy Orton (2008) (the date of their Survivor Series victory).
Rumble Fact #14: Kings of the Rumble
There have been a total of six men that have done the Royal double – winning both the King of the Ring & the Royal Rumble – at any point in their careers, and they are: Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge, Brock Lesnar & Sheamus. Bret Hart, Stone Cold & Brock Lesnar are also the only men to win both events within one calendar year.
Rumble Fact #15: Taking a Break
Hacksaw Jim Duggan holds the record for the longest time between Royal Rumble appearances, lasting 17 years. He performed in the 1992 Royal Rumble and then not again until the 2009 event. A total of 551 people had entered a Royal Rumble inbetween Jim’s appearances.
Rumble Fact #16: Too Busy to Rumble
The Dudley Boyz hold the record for appearing in the most Royal Rumble events without competing in the actual Royal Rumble match. They have had a total of 5 tag team matches between 2000 & 2004, two of which were tables matches, two of which they challenged for the Tag Team titles and lost, and two of which they won the Tag Team titles. Neither Bubba Ray nor D’Von have been in a Royal Rumble match throughout their career.
Rumble Fact #17: It Had to Be Somebody
In the inaugural contest in 1988, Butch Reed became the very first man to be eliminated from a Royal Rumble match. He entered the match at #3 and lasted just 3:18 before being eliminated by Jake Roberts (#7).
Rumble Fact #18: Lucky #27
Since 1988, the entry number to have produced the most Royal Rumble winners is the #27. A total of 4 men have entered the match at that number and gone on to win and they are: Big John Studd (1989), Yokozuna (1993), Bret Hart (1994) & Stone Cold Steve Austin (2001). It was also the first entry number to produce multiple winners, as well as being the first to produce consecutive winners.
Rumble Fact #19: Flying the Flag for Raw
Shawn Michaels is a name synonymous with Royal Rumble history – but did you know – the Heartbreak Kid was the very first man to represent a brand after the brand extension in 2002 (when WWE was divided into Raw & Smackdown). Shawn elected to enter the 2003 Royal Rumble at #1, and by doing so became the first Raw-only superstar to set foot in the annual match.
Rumble Fact #20: Flying the Flag for Smackdown
After the Brand Extension of 2002, the 2003 Royal Rumble marked the occasion when superstars would enter the match assigned to a single brand for the first time. The first man to appear in a Royal Rumble as a Smackdown wrestler was Rey Mysterio, who entered the match at #4.
Rumble Fact #21: Unlucky Numbers
There have been a total of 26 Royal Rumbles to date, producing 27 winners, but thanks to certain entry numbers producing multiple winners there’s a slew of entry numbers that have still not proven to be lucky for those that picked them, and they are: 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39 & 40.
Rumble Fact #22: Beginners’ Luck
With Alberto Del Rio winning the 2011 Royal Rumble on his very first attempt, he became the 9th man to win the Royal Rumble the first time they entered the match. The lucky beginners are: Hacksaw Jim Duggan (1988), Big John Studd (1989), Ric Flair (1992), Yokozuna (1993), Lex Luger (1994), Vince McMahon (1999), Brock Lesnar (2003), Chris Benoit (2004) & Alberto Del Rio (2011).
Rumble Fact #23: Multiple Winners
Multiple WinnersIn the entire history of the Royal Rumble, only 4 men have won the annual contest more than once in their career - and they are: Hulk Hogan (1990 & 1991), Shawn Michaels (1995 & 1996), Stone Cold Steve Austin (1997, 1998 & 2001) & John Cena (2008 & 2013).
Rumble Fact #24: Chamber Champions
Out of the 11 winners of the Elimination Chamber matches, a total of 9 have also won a Royal Rumble match at some point in their career. They are: Shawn Michaels, Triple H, John Cena, Undertaker & Edge. There have also been 4 others that have won a Royal Rumble, but not won an Elimination Chamber match, and they are: Randy Orton, Batista, Chris Benoit & Sheamus.
Rumble Fact #25: Longest Time in a Royal Rumble
In 2006, Rey Mysterio lasted for 62 minutes and 12 seconds in the Royal Rumble match, which now stands as the longest time that anybody has spent in a single one. Mysterio entered the match as the #2 entrant along with Triple H as #1. They both survived the majority of the match, but Rey eliminated Hunter, leaving just himself and the #30 entrant, Randy Orton. A fresh Orton looked set to eliminate a tired Mysterio, but a quick counter allowed Rey to pick up the victory.
Rumble Fact #26: Hall of Fame Winners
As of this date, a total of 9 Royal Rumble winners will have been made WWE Hall of Famers, and they are: Big John Studd, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Shawn Michaels, Yokozuna & Edge. Between them they account for 12 of the 25 Royal Rumble winners, because of two or three time winners Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold & Shawn Michaels, meaning that there are no multiple Rumble winners absent from the Hall of Fame.
Rumble Fact #27: Winning at Wrestlemania
Since 1993, winning the Royal Rumble took on more prestige than ever before; as it granted it’s victor a championship match at the main event of Wrestlemania. A total of 20 men have earned themselves that opportunity, but not all of them were successful. Here’s the list of superstars that won the Royal Rumble and the result of their match at Wrestlemania:
Yokozuna (1993): Won Bret Hart (1994): Won Lex Luger (1994): Lost Shawn Michaels (1995): Lost Shawn Michaels (1996): Won Stone Cold Steve Austin (1997): Lost Stone Cold Steve Austin (1998): Won Vince McMahon (1999): Did not Compete at Wrestlemania The Rock (2000): Lost Stone Cold Steve Austin (2001): Won Triple H (2002): Won Brock Lesnar (2003): Won Chris Benoit (2004): Won Batista (2005): Won Rey Mysterio (2006): Won Undertaker (2007): Won John Cena (2008): Lost Randy Orton (2009): Lost Edge (2010): Lost Alberto Del Rio (2011): Lost Sheamus (2012): Won John Cena (2013): Won
Rumble Fact #28: Shortest Ever Time
In 2009, Santino Marella broke the record for the shortest time that anyone has ever spent in a single Royal Rumble, by being eliminated after just one second in the ring. The previous record was 2 seconds, set by The Warlord in 1989, but Marella halved the 20 year record when he was eliminated by Kane.
Rumble Fact #29: Long Time No Elimination
In 1996, HHH set the record for the longest time in a Royal Rumble match without eliminating another contestant. He entered the match as the #1 entrant and went on to survive 48:01 of action before he was eliminated by Diesel.
Rumble Fact #30: #30
The entry #30 has been the most lucky entry number of all (except for 2011), as it granted whoever drew it the last entry into the match. Despite it’s advantages, it wasn’t until 2007 that entering last created a winner, when the Undertaker (who had drawn the number for the third time in his career) outlasted every preceding entrant. Lightning then struck twice, when one year later John Cena entered the Royal Rumble as a surprise #30, and last eliminated Triple H to be victorious, making it the second entry number to produce two consecutive Royal Rumble winners.
Rumble Fact #31: Thirteen and Out
The Big Red Machine Kane currently holds the record for the most consecutive Royal Rumble match appearances in history, having performed in the match for 13 Royal Rumbles in a row. His first appearance came in 1999, and he didn’t miss a single year up until 2012. The 2012 Royal Rumble marked the first occasion that Kane failed to enter the Royal Rumble match when eligible.
Rumble Fact #32: Laziest Winner
In 1999 Vince McMahon became the laziest winner of the Royal Rumble match, by eliminating just one of the other contestants to win. Despite entering the match at #2, Vinnie Mac spent most of it outside of the ring at the commentary table, only entering the ring to eliminate the runner-up Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Rumble Fact #33: Money & The Rumble
Edge, Alberto Del Rio, John Cena & Randy Orton have all won both a Royal Rumble and a Money in the Bank Ladder match during their careers. Del Rio & Cena have both also won both during the space of one year.
Rumble Fact #34: Wasted Potential
Since 1993 the winner of the Royal Rumble has been granted a WWE or World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestlemania, and whilst not all were successful, most of them had been champion before or went on to win it at a later date. There is one exception however, being the 1994 Rumble co-winner Lex Luger, who never the WWF title during his run with the company.
Rumble Fact #35: Four Decades of Rumbling
Shawn Michaels & Hacksaw Jim Duggan are the only two people to have competed in a Royal Rumble in four different decades, appearing in Royal Rumble matches in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s & 2010s – every possible decade since the Royal Rumble began in 1988.
Rumble Fact #36: Two Bites of the Cherry
At the 2005 Royal Rumble, Kurt Angle became the first person to receive a WWE Championship match (which he lost) and then enter the Royal Rumble match later that night. It wasn’t until 2011 that a Royal Rumble entrant had competed in a World Heavyweight Championship match earlier that night, after Dolph Ziggler had lost to Edge and then entered at #31.
Rumble Fact #37: King of Rumbles
Triple H currently holds the record for the longest combined time ever spent in Royal Rumble matches. Over a span of 8 Royal Rumbles, Hunter has clocked up an impressive 3 hours, 51 minutes & 33 seconds of action in the ring, more than any other superstar in history. His nearest rival is his best friend Shawn Michaels, who is 9 minutes behind, and the next nearest active superstar is Rey Mysterio, who has had almost one hour less in the match than The Game.
Rumble Fact #38: Short But Sweet
MVP holds the current record for the shortest time in a single Royal Rumble match whilst still managing to eliminate another contestant. In the 2010 Royal Rumble match, MVP spent just 7 seconds in the ring, eliminating The Miz and himself at the same time.
Rumble Fact #39: Same Old, Same Old
The record for entering a Royal Rumble match the most times with the same entry number is 3, which is currently held by four superstars. Edge has entered 3 Royal Rumble matches as the #5 entrant; Jake Roberts has entered as #7 three times; Shawn Michaels has entered a Royal Rumble 3 times as #18; whilst the Undertaker has been lucky enough to enter 3 Royal Rumbles as the #30 and final entrant.
Rumble Fact #40: 40′s the Limit
The 2011 Royal Rumble was the biggest in WWE history, featuring a record breaking 40 contestants. However, by 2012, the Royal Rumble will have reverted back to the more traditional 30 entrants, leaving the 2011 Rumble in tact as the only one to feature 40 men.
Rumble Fact #41: Easier Said Than Done
In 1997, Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler became the first person to both commentate on and compete in the same Royal Rumble match. Lawler commentated on the match up until entry #22, when he entered the match straight from the announce table. Unfortunately for King he was sent back within a matter of seconds, getting eliminated after 4 seconds by old rival Bret Hart, allowing him to commentate the rest of the match.
Rumble Fact #42: Happy Birthday
Sheamus won the 2012 Royal Rumble match on January 28th 2012, just one day after celebrating his 34th birthday
Rumble Fact #43: Championship of Choice
Since 2003, the winner of the Royal Rumble match has had the opportunity to challenge for either the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship or the ECW Championship. Of the three titles available, the World Heavyweight Championship is the title most often selected by the Royal Rumble winner to compete for, having been done so 7 times from a possible 10.
Rumble Fact #44: Thanks, But No Thanks
In 1999, Vince McMahon became the first (and as yet) only Royal Rumble winner to voluntarily give up his prize of a championship match at Wrestlemania. Unfortunately for Vince, Commissioner Shawn Michaels decreed that if the Rumble winner was unwilling to compete at Wrestlemania, then the prize would go to the runner-up, who turned out to be Vince’s arch nemesis, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Rumble Fact #45: Ships in the Night
Despite having the two highest total combined times in Royal Rumble history, best friends Triple H & Shawn Michaels have only ever appeared in the ring together during the same Royal Rumble match three times, once in 1996, 2006 and then not until 2010, where ironically it was HBK whose final elimination was The Game
Rumble Fact #46: Always the Bridesmaid
Big Show holds the record for finishing the most Royal Rumbles as runner-up without winning one at some point in his career. He came second to The Rock in 2000, and was the last man eliminated by Chris Benoit in 2004.
Rumble Fact #47: Poster Boy
The Undertaker holds the record for appearing on more Royal Rumble promotional posters than any other superstar in history. The Deadman was first printed in ink back in 1992, and has since clocked up 7 appearances on a Rumble poster – although he has yet to feature on a poster alone.
Rumble Fact #48: Seven Straight Eliminations
The record for the most uninterrupted consecutive eliminations performed by a single person in a Royal Rumble match currently stands at 7, which remarkably has been achieved by 6 different superstars over the years - Hulk Hogan, Diesel, Rikishi, Kane, The Great Khali & CM Punk
Rumble Fact #49: The Champ is Here
Hulk Hogan became the first Royal Rumble winner to re-enter the Royal Rumble match, by winning the 1990 Rumble and then entering the 1991 Rumble. Hogan also managed to be the first Rumble winner to defend his crown, by winning both the 1990 & 1991 Royal Rumbles.
Rumble Fact #50: Boyhood Dream
Bo Dallas Bo Dallas (born May 25th 1990) was the first person to enter a Royal Rumble match who was younger than the Royal Rumble match, which began in 1988
Rumble Fact #51: The Campaign Trail
Sheamus Wrestlemania 28Sheamus’ campaign as a Royal Rumble winner; taken from the time to win the Royal Rumble match to the time of his title match at Wrestlemania; is the shortest in history, taking just 22:39. Conversely, the campaign of Chris Benoit in 2004 is the longest in history, taking a total of 1:42:19, more than four times that of Sheamus.
Rumble Fact #52: Double Duty
Rowdy Roddy PiperAt the 1992 Royal Rumble, Rowdy Roddy Piper became the first person to perform twice at a Royal Rumble PPV. Piper also had the unique opportunity to win two titles on the same night – he first defeated The Mountie for the Intercontinental title, and then entered the Royal Rumble match which would decide the new WWE Champion.
Rumble Fact #53: Teamwork
Hart FoundationThe Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart), were the first two people to work together to make a team elimination in the Royal Rumble match in history. They eliminated Tito Santana, in which was only the second ever elimination in Rumble history.
Rumble Fact #54: History Repeating
Big Show Brock LesnarWhen Big Show & Brock Lesnar face each other at the 2014 Royal Rumble, it will mark the first occasion that a match from a previous Royal Rumble PPV will be repeated. Show & Lesnar first competed against each other one-on-one at the 2003 Royal Rumble.
Rumble Fact #55: Triple Duty
The 1998 Royal Rumble will go in history for having one person play three different name. Mick Foley made played Castic Jack as entrant #1, Mankind as entrant #16, and Dude Love as entrant #28.
Did You Know?
The inaugural Royal Rumble took place on Jan. 24, 1988 as a television special on the USA Network. Jim Duggan was the winner of the match.
It wasn't until 1993 that the Royal Rumble winner was guaranteed a world title match at WrestleMania, and only 12 of a possible 20 winners have gone on to capture gold since the title shot was introduced.
The WWF/E Championship has only been awarded to the Royal Rumble winner once in 1992, when Ric Flair managed to capture the title.
Shelton Benjamin was eliminated from the Rumble by Shawn Michaels in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Bob Backlund holds the record for longest time spent in the Rumble without winning, lasting over 61 minutes in the 1993 contest.
The Undertaker is the only superstar to enter at No. 30 on three separate occasions, becoming the first man to win from that position in 2007.
Youngest Rumble Winner
Capping off one of the greatest debut years in WWE history, Brock Lesnar took only 8 minutes and 59 seconds to win the 2003 Royal Rumble at the age of 25 years and 6 months.
In his first and only appearance in the match, 'The Next Big Thing' entered at No. 29 and sealed victory by throwing The Undertaker over the top rope. The win added to an impressive list of accomplishments in Lesnar's rookie year, during which he also won the 2002 King of the Ring and became the youngest WWE Champion in history at Summerslam.
Lesnar's Royal Rumble victory came a mere 10 months after his debut with the company although that particular record still belongs to Yokozuna, who won the 1993 Rumble only three months after making his first appearance in October 1992.
Longest Rumble Match
The Royal Rumble is always a lengthy match, much as you would expect from a 30-man battle royal but the 2002 edition, won by Triple H, was the longest in history and clocked in at 69 minutes and 22 seconds.
Rikishi started the match at No. 1, while The Undertaker and Steve Austin dominated proceedings with six eliminations each. 'The Deadman' was then shockingly eliminated by Tough Enough winner Maven, before he proceeded to beat the rookie to a pulp. However, the story of the night was Mr. Perfect, who returned and put in an impressive effort in making the final three.
Although Triple H's victory could be spotted a mile away due to the huge amount of attention focused on 'The Game' following his return from a serious quadriceps injury, the 2002 Royal Rumble was highly entertaining contest that provided plenty of talking points and fully justified the near 70-minute running time.
Shortest Time Spent in Match
Many thought The Warlord's infamous two-second appearance in the 1989 Royal Rumble would never be bettered, and the record stood for 20 years. Until Santino Marella came along.
Santino lasted all of one second in the match before being immediately dumped over the top rope by Kane. Despite his 'hilarious' protests to the ringside officials, 'The Italian Stallion' had now gained the unwanted accolade of shortest Royal Rumble appearance in history.
In what was nothing more that a harmless comedy spot, Santino Marella ensured his place in Royal Rumble history with an incredibly brief performance that will take some beating.
Longest Time Spent in Match
When Rey Mysterio tossed Randy Orton over the top rope to win the 2006 Royal Rumble, it ended an incredible effort that had seen 'The Ultimate Underdog' enter the match at No. 2 and remain in the ring for no less than 62 minutes and 12 seconds.
Beating the longevity record set in 2004 by Chris Benoit, Mysterio upset all the odds by winning the match and eliminated Simon Dean, Psicosis, Super Crazy, Rob Van Dam, Triple H and finally Orton on his way to victory.
'The Master of the 619' would go on to WrestleMania 22 and capture the World Heavyweight Championship to become one of the unlikeliest world champions in company history, and it was his unforgettable Royal Rumble victory that provided the catalyst.
Shortest Time Spent in Match by Winner
When Edge shockingly returned from a six-month injury hiatus at the 2010 Royal Rumble, it took him only 7 minutes and 19 seconds to guarantee a world title shot at WrestleMania 26.
'The Rated-R Superstar' floored all of the remaining competitors with the Spear, managing to eliminate Chris Jericho and finally John Cena to seal the quickest Rumble win in history, beating the record Cena himself had set in 2008 when he won the match 8 and a half minutes after entering the ring.
Edge appeared in six Royal Rumble matches in total, eliminating 17 other superstars in the process. Before winning the contest, it was a match in which 'The Rated-R Superstar' had had little luck, but he certainly rectified things in lightning-quick fashion in 2010.
Longest Total Time Spent in Rumble Matches
The winner of the 2002 match, Triple H has spent more time competing in the Royal Rumble than anyone else, spending a cumulative total of 3 hours, 41 minutes and 12 seconds in the annual battle royal between 1996 and 2010.
'The King of Kings' managed to eliminate a total of 26 superstars in the match over eight appearances, and was runner-up in both 2008 and 2009. An overlooked feat also occurred in 2006 when 'The Cerebral Assassin' became one of only four men in history to spend over an hour in the Rumble match.
One of the most dominant superstars of the last decade, Triple H only enhanced his legendary status with consistently solid showings in the Royal Rumble, and successfully cashed in his title shot following his 2002 victory to defeat Chris Jericho for the Undisputed Championship at WrestleMania 18.
Most Consecutive Eliminations
Despite the fact he didn't manage win the match, Hulk Hogan set the record for most consecutive eliminations way back in 1989 when he managed to dispose of eight competitors in a row, a feat which has still never been bettered.
In quick succession, 'The Hulkster' threw Bushwhacker Butch, Koko B. Ware, Bushwhacker Luke, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, The Warlord, Randy Savage and Bad News Brown over the top rope before he was double-teamed and eliminated by Akeem and The Big Boss Man.
Hulk Hogan would recover and claim his place in Royal Rumble history by becoming the first man to win consecutive matches in 1990 and 1991, and in the process totaled a highly impressive 27 eliminations in only four appearances.
Most Eliminations in a Single Match
In what is quite possibly the single greatest performance in Royal Rumble history, Kane broke Hulk Hogan's 12-year-old record when he eliminated no less than 11 superstars in the 2001 edition of the match.
'The Big Red Machine' spent nearly 54 minutes in the match, and in the process dispatched of Raven, Al Snow, Perry Saturn, Steve Blackman, Grandmaster Sexay, The Honky Tonk Man, Tazz, Albert, Crash Holly, Scotty 2 Hotty (with an assist from The Undertaker) and The Rock. Even more impressive when you consider that six of these eliminations came consecutively.
'The Devil's Favorite Demon' was eventually the last man to be thrown over the top rope by winner Steve Austin. The big man didn't manage to win the match, but this was most definitely Kane's Rumble.
Most Appearances
Yep, it's that man Kane again.
The unsung hero of the Royal Rumble match has competed in a record 15 contests, including a single appearance each as both Dr. Isaac Yankem and the fake Diesel.
Making his Rumble debut way back in 1996, 'The Big Red Machine' has racked up a total of 37 eliminations, which puts him second on the all-time list, while he also holds the record for most eliminations in a single Rumble, with 11 men thrown over the top in 2001.
Despite making it to the final four on a record-equaling five occasions, Kane seems destined to go down as the greatest star never to win the Royal Rumble, despite his dominating presence in the match over the last 15 years.
Most Eliminations in Match History
As is befitting of one of the WWE's all-time greats, Shawn Michaels holds the record for most eliminations in Royal Rumble history after throwing an incredible 41 superstars over the top rope during his dozen appearances in the company's flagship battle royal.
'The Heartbreak Kid' is also a two-time winner of the Rumble, becoming the first man to enter the match at No. 1 and win in 1995, before emerging victorious again in 1996 to become only the second man in history to win consecutive Rumbles.
On top of these achievements 'The Showstopper' found himself as one of the final 4 competitors on no less than five occasions, and was runner-up in both 1994 and 2007. Despite being better known as 'Mr. WrestleMania,' the incomparable Shawn Michaels most definitely left his mark on the Royal Rumble.
Most Wins
Stone Cold Steve Austin was the first, and so far only, superstar to win the Royal Rumble on three occasions, a feat he managed in only six appearances in the match.
'The Rattlesnake' won his first Rumble in 1997 by lastly eliminating Bret Hart, the consequences of which would lead to their classic confrontation at WrestleMania 13.
The following year, Austin would lastly throw The Rock over the top rope to guarantee a WWF Championship shot at WrestleMania 14. 'The Bionic Redneck' would win his third and final Royal Rumble in 2001, gaining victory by sending Kane to the floor.
As well as being the only man to win the Rumble three times, 'The Rattlesnake' also made it to the final four in five of his six appearances in the match and in the process eliminated no less than 31 other competitors, including 10 in the 1997 Rumble alone!
Quite simply put; Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of, if not the greatest competitor in Royal Rumble history.
