Bengaluru, January 21: WWE Royal Rumble is perhaps the most unpredictable night of a calendar year. This 'big-four’ PPV is named after the 30-men over-the-top-rope challenge where the winner gets a chance to headline the biggest event of the year also known as WrestleMania.

With the 33rd edition of the match coming in this Sunday, we present you this exclusive story containing the illustrious history of the Rumble match.

Starting from 1988, the Royal Rumble match built bonafide main-eventers who would go on to rule the WWE industry. The occasion got even bigger from 2018 onwards when WWE decided to include a separate Rumble match for the women superstars, as well.

Let’s have a look at those names who were fortunate enough to be the ones to stand last in the ring whereas 29 others were eliminated.

Here is the list of all the superstars who have won the Royal Rumble matches, (# symbolizes the respective superstars’ entry spot for that match)

• 1988 = Hacksaw Jim Duggan (#13)

• 1989 = Big John Studd (#27)

• 1990 = Hulk Hogan (#25)

• 1991 = Hulk Hogan (#24)

• 1992 = Ric Flair (#3)

• 1993 = Yokozuna (#27)

• 1994 = Lex Luger (#23) and Bret Hart (#27)

• 1995 = Shawn Michaels (#1)

• 1996 = Shawn Michaels (#18)

• 1997 = Steve Austin (#5)

• 1998 = Steve Austin (#24)

• 1999 = Vince McMahon (#2)

• 2000 = The Rock (#24)

• 2001 = Steve Austin (#27)

• 2002 = Triple H (#22)

• 2003 = Brock Lesnar (#29)

• 2004 = Chris Benoit (#1)

• 2005 = Batista (#28)

• 2006 = Rey Mysterio (#2)

• 2007 = Undertaker (#30)

• 2008 = John Cena (#30)

• 2009 = Randy Orton (#8)

• 2010 = Edge (#29)

• 2011 = Alberto Del Rio (#38)

• 2012 = Sheamus (#22)

• 2013 = John Cena (#19)

• 2014 = Batista (#28)

• 2015 = Roman Reigns (#19)

• 2016 = Triple H (#30)

• 2017 = Randy Orton (#23)

• 2018 (Men) = Shinsuke Nakamura (#14)

• 2018 (Women) = Asuka (#25)

• Greatest Royal Rumble = Braun Strowman (#41)

• 2019 (Men) = Seth Rollins (#10)

• 2019 (Women) = Becky Lynch (#28)



Check out the some of the incredible records set by WWE legends around the Royal Rumble match:

• Steve Austin holds the record to have the most Royal Rumble victories with the number being 3.

• Six superstars have won 2 Royal Rumble matches (Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Batista, Triple H, and Randy Orton)

• Kane holds the record of most eliminations in the history of Royal Rumble. He toppled 43 superstars over the top rope, in combined.

• Roman Reigns has the record of most eliminations in one single Royal Rumble match (2014) at 12. (However, WWE’s record book now shows Braun Strowman as the record holder since he eliminated 13 names out of 50 at 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia)

• Number 27 is the luckiest number from where most of the Royal Rumble winners (4) were produced. But #24, #28 and #30 are close with 3 victories coming from this spot.

• Batista is the only person to win from the same spot twice, at #28

• 2007 (The UnderTaker) and 2008 (John Cena) is the only time the same entries won in succession (#30)

• Alberto Del Rio is the winner of the biggest Royal Rumble match in history where 40 superstars competed instead of 30. He entered at #38 spot to steal the win in 2011 edition.

• Rey Mysterio holds the record spending the most time in a Royal Rumble match (2006) by spending 62 minutes and 12 seconds. (WWE record book now has Daniel Bryan shattering the same as he spent 1 Hour and 16 Minutes in Greatest Royal Rumble match)

• Stats show #1-10 entries have produced 8 winners, entries #11-20 have only produced 5 winners, and entries #21-30/40/50 have produced 23 winners.



Here’s the most eliminations’ list, per year from each Royal Rumble matches:

• 1988 = One Man Gang (6)

• 1989 = Hulk Hogan (9)

• 1990 = Ultimate Warrior (6)

• 1991 = Hulk Hogan (7)

• 1992 = Sid Justice (6)

• 1993 = Yokozuna (7)

• 1994 = Diesel and Lex Luger (7)

• 1995 = Shawn Michaels (8)

• 1996 = Shawn Michaels (8)

• 1997 = Steve Austin (10)

• 1998 = Steve Austin (7)

• 1999 = Steve Austin (8)

• 2000 = Rikishi (7)

• 2001 = Kane (11)

• 2002 = Steve Austin and Undertaker (7)

• 2003 = Chris Jericho (6)

• 2004 = Chris Benoit (6)

• 2005 = Batista and Edge (5)

• 2006 = Rey Mysterio (6)

• 2007 = The Great Khali (7)

• 2008 = Triple H (6)

• 2009 = Big Show and Triple H (6)

• 2010 = Shawn Michaels (6)

• 2011 = CM Punk and John Cena (7)

• 2012 = Cody Rhodes (5)

• 2013 = Ryback and Sheamus (5)

• 2014 = Roman Reigns (12)

• 2015 = Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns and Rusev (6)

• 2016 = Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns (4)

• 2017 = Braun Strowman (7)

• 2018 (Men) = Finn Balor and Roman Reigns (4)

• 2018 (Women) = Michelle McCool (5)

• Greatest Royal Rumble = Braun Strowman (13)

• 2019 (Men) = Braun Strowman (5)

• 2019 (Women) = Charlotte Flair (5)

Most number of eliminations (Cumulative in descending order):

Kane (44 or 43)

Shawn Michaels (40)

The Undertaker (40)

Steve Austin (36)

Triple H (33)

Big Show (31)

Roman Reigns (30)

Hulk Hogan (27)

John Cena (25)

Randy Orton (26)

Braun Strowman (24)

Most number of eliminations in one single Royal Rumble match (Cumulative in descending order):

Braun Strowman (13)

Roman Reigns (12)

Kane (11)

Here are Iron Man and Iron Woman from each Royal Rumble matches:

• 1988 = Bret Hart (00:25:42) - Entrant #1

• 1989 = Mr. Perfect (00:27:58) - Entrant #4

• 1990 = Ted DiBiase (00:44:47) - Entrant #1

• 1991 = Rick Martel (00:52:17) - Entrant #6

• 1992 = Ric Flair (00:59:26) - Entrant #3

• 1993 = Bob Backlund (1:01:10) - Entrant #2

• 1994 = Bam Bam Bigelow (00:30:12) - Entrant #15

• 1995 = Shawn Michaels (00:38:41) - Entrant #1

• 1996 = Hunter Hearst Helmsley (00:48:01) - Entrant #1

• 1997 = Stone Cold Steve Austin (00:45:07) - Entrant #5

• 1998 = The Rock (00:51:32) - Entrant #4

• 1999 = Vince McMahon (00:56:38) - Entrant #2

• 2000 = Test (00:26:17) - Entrant #10

• 2001 = Kane (00:53:46) - Entrant #6

• 2002 = Stone Cold Steve Austin (00:26:46) - Entrant #19

• 2003 = Chris Jericho (00:38:54) - Entrant #2

• 2004 = Chris Benoit (1:01:30) - Entrant #1

• 2005 = Chris Benoit (00:47:26) - Entrant #2

• 2006 = Rey Mysterio (1:02:12) - Entrant #2

• 2007 = Edge (00:44:02) - Entrant #5

• 2008 = Batista (00:37:42) - Entrant #8

• 2009 = Triple H (00:49:55) - Entrant #7

• 2010 = John Cena (00:22:11) - Entrant #19

• 2011 = CM Punk (00:35:21) - Entrant #1

• 2012 = The Miz (00:45:39) - Entrant #1

• 2013 = Dolph Ziggler (00:49:47) - Entrant #1

• 2014 = CM Punk (00:49:15) - Entrant #1

• 2015 = Bray Wyatt (00:46:58) - Entrant #5

• 2016 = Roman Reigns (00:59:50) - Entrant #1

• 2017 = Chris Jericho (1:00:13) - Entrant #2

• 2018 (Men) = Finn Balor (00:57:38) - Entrant #2

• 2018 (Women) = Sasha Banks (00:54:46) - Entrant #1

• Greatest Royal Rumble = Daniel Bryan (01:16:05) - Entrant #1

• 2019 (Men) = Seth Rollins (00:43:00) - Entrant #10

• 2019 (Women) = Natalya (00:56:01) - Entrant #2



Top 5 men's longest cumulative tenure in men’s Royal Rumble matches:

Chris Jericho (5:01:30)

Triple H (4:00:44)

Rey Mysterio (3:54:16)

Shawn Michaels (3:42:30)

Kane (3:38:46)

Randy Orton (3:18:41)

Cody Rhodes (3:15:53)

Top 5 longest cumulative tenure in women’s Royal Rumble matches:

Natalya (01:21:35)

Ember Moon (00:58:37)

Sasha Banks (00:54:46)

Charlotte Flair (00:50:01)

Becky Lynch (00:44:14)

Men's longest Iron Man time:

Daniel Bryan (1:16:05) in Greatest Royal Rumble

Rey Mysterio (1:02:12) in 2006

Longest Iron Woman Time: Natalya (00:56:01) in 2019

Shortest men's Royal Rumble time: Santino Marella (1.9 seconds) in 2009

Shortest women's Royal Rumble Time: Liv Morgan (8 seconds) in 2019

Most appearances in Royal Rumble matches: Kane (19 after counting Isaac Yankem and Fake Diesel gimmicks)

(Info credits - SmarkOutMoment and Wikipedia)